'"His prison uniform is about to burst" "What are they serving in prison?"... Latest on Busan roundhouse kick perpetrator'

One more year added... Now serving a total of 21 years in prison
Victim: "The perpetrator has bulked up so much his prison uniform looks like it is about to burst"

Perpetrator Mr. Lee attacking victim Mr. Kim in the Busan roundhouse kick incident. Screenshot from SBS "Unanswered Questions."

The victim in the so-called "Busan roundhouse kick incident," Ms Kim Jinju (alias), has spoken out about her feelings regarding the sentence for the perpetrator's retaliatory threats and the way the investigation was handled.

In an interview with SBS on the 13th, Ms Kim said, "The sentencing guidelines for retaliatory threats themselves are far too lenient," adding, "When the one-year sentence was actually handed down, I thought, 'Is it because the case has not been fully resolved yet?' and I felt that unless I die, no one will be held responsible."

On the 12th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Busan District Court's Western Branch (Presiding Judge Kim Jugwan) sentenced Mr Lee, a man in his 30s and the perpetrator in the roundhouse kick incident, to one year in prison on charges including violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliatory threats, etc.), insult, and coercion.

Mr Lee is currently serving a confirmed 20-year prison sentence handed down by the Supreme Court on charges of assaulting Ms Kim, whom he followed and attacked while she was on her way home in Busanjin District, Busan, in May 2022. It was found that even after being incarcerated, he made remarks to fellow inmates indicating an intention to cause harm while mentioning her address, and he is also accused of sending a threatening letter to his ex-girlfriend because she refused to visit him.

Mr Lee denied the charges, saying, "I had absolutely no reason or intention to retaliate against the victim in the roundhouse kick incident or to carry out any such act, nor did I ever say anything like that," but the court did not accept his claim.

After attending the sentencing hearing as an observer, Ms Kim expressed her feelings on social media (SNS), writing, "(Mr Lee) has gained a lot of weight. I am curious about the meal plan at the Busan Detention Center. I want to gain weight too." In the interview, she also said, "I keep losing weight, but the perpetrator has bulked up so much that his prison uniform looks like it is about to burst."

Court acknowledges faulty investigation... "The state must pay Ms Kim 15 million won in compensation"

Meanwhile, in the damages lawsuit filed by the victim in the "Busan roundhouse kick" incident, Ms Kim, who claimed to have suffered psychological harm due to a faulty police investigation, the court ruled in her favor by recognizing the state's liability for compensation. The court found that the investigative authorities had not taken sufficient necessary measures, such as securing additional statements, despite circumstances suggesting the possibility of sexual violence.

On the 13th, Judge Son Seungwoo of the Civil Division 31 Single Bench of the Seoul Central District Court partially ruled in favor of the plaintiff in the damages lawsuit of about 50 million won that Ms Kim filed against the Republic of Korea. The court ordered the state to pay Ms Kim 15 million won.

The court stated, "It was unreasonable for the investigative authorities not to take the necessary measures, and because the specific nature of the sexual violence inflicted on the plaintiff by the perpetrator has not been clearly established, the state has an obligation to compensate under the State Compensation Act."

Regarding the scope of damages, the court explained, "Although Ms Kim suffered considerable pain, the crime in question was only additionally included at the appellate stage, and the specific nature of what she suffered has not been precisely established, so it appears she suffered mental distress," adding, "Taking various factors into account, we recognize 15 million won."