40s Sentenced to Harsher Prison Term in Second Trial for Assaulting Police Officer

A doctor in his 40s who caused a disturbance and assaulted police officers at a police precinct was sentenced to a heavier prison term in the second trial than the original fine. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] The second trial court sentenced a man in his 40s to a harsher punishment than the original sentence after he assaulted police officers while causing a drunken disturbance at a police station precinct.

The Cheongju District Court Criminal Appeal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Lee Hyung-geol) announced on the 6th that it overturned the original sentence of a 10 million won fine against pediatrician A (46), who was charged with obstruction of official duties and violation of the Minor Offenses Act, and sentenced him to six months in prison and a 500,000 won fine.

The court stated, "Considering the defendant's bad criminal nature, his repeated punishments for injury, assault, and obstruction of business, and his previous imprisonment for obstruction of official duties, the original sentence was too lenient and therefore inappropriate, especially given that he committed the same type of crime repeatedly during the probation period."

A was previously prosecuted for visiting the Yongam Precinct of the Cheongju Sangdang Police Station in Chungbuk on March 20 last year around 1 p.m., intoxicated, verbally abusing police officers, and causing a disturbance.

During the second trial, A claimed diminished mental capacity due to intoxication, but this was not accepted.

On December 1 last year, the first trial court sentenced him to a 10 million won fine, stating, "Although the crime was committed during the probation period and the nature of the crime is bad, the consequences were relatively minor."

After the verdict, both A and the prosecution appealed, citing inappropriate sentencing, but A's appeal was dismissed. He also filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, dissatisfied with the second trial's ruling.

A is currently known to be incarcerated at Cheongju Prison for a separate case.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.