Taxi Driver Who Asked to "Please Wear a Mask" Assaulted... Court Sentences to Probation

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] A man in his 40s who assaulted a taxi driver for asking him to wear a mask while riding in the taxi was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

According to the legal community on the 13th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Pohang Branch of Daegu District Court (Chief Judge Young-cheol Lim) sentenced A (45), who was indicted on charges including assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 3-year suspension and ordered 80 hours of community service.

A is accused of boarding a taxi driven by B (67) without a mask at the Pohang Jukdo Market public parking lot around 5:50 p.m. on September 23, and when B requested him to wear a mask, A uttered abusive language and grabbed B’s shoulder and face while B was driving.

When B stopped the taxi, A reportedly punched B’s face and threw his glasses, among other acts of assault. A’s verbal abuse and assault were recorded on the taxi’s black box, and A was detained and prosecuted.

In response to a large number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Pohang City issued an administrative order mandating mask-wearing throughout the entire city starting August 18.

The court stated, "The defendant’s guilt is not light as he assaulted the driver in a moving taxi, which could have endangered the safety of third parties, and it is highly condemnable that he refused to wear a mask without any particular reason during a period when mask-wearing was mandatory due to COVID-19."

However, the court explained the reason for sentencing a suspended prison term, saying, "Considering that the defendant admitted to the crime, reflected on his wrongdoing, reached a settlement with the victim, and that the victim does not wish for punishment."

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