"Excessive 2 Million Won Bar Bill"... Man in His 50s Sentenced to Prison for Wandering with Weapon

Sentenced to 1 Year and 6 Months for Possession of a Weapon in a Public Place

A man in his 50s who wandered around a bar with a weapon after going home and feeling that the amount he paid for alcohol was excessive has been sentenced to prison.

On October 4, Kim Taekseong, the presiding judge of the Chuncheon District Court Criminal Division 2, announced that he had sentenced Mr. A (54), who was indicted for possession of a weapon in a public place, to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

In the early morning of August 19, Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of causing anxiety and fear among people by wandering around a bar in Chuncheon with a weapon. The previous night, Mr. A had paid approximately 2 million won for drinks at the bar. After returning home, he became angry, believing that the bar had overcharged him, and went back to the bar with a weapon to protest. However, when he found the bar closed, he wandered around the nearby streets.

The crime of 'possession of a weapon in a public place' was newly established in April this year to fill a legal gap after a series of serious crimes with abnormal motives, such as the 2023 Sillim Station and Seohyeon Station stabbing incidents and the 2024 Japanese sword murder case. Judge Kim stated, "Considering the nature and circumstances of this crime, as well as Mr. A's previous criminal record, the defendant bears significant responsibility, and a severe punishment corresponding to this is unavoidable."