A Man in His 50s Who Assaulted Governor Kim Kyung-soo... Sentenced to Imprisonment with Suspension

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Cheon, a man in his 50s who assaulted Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, while he was returning home after being investigated for the 2018 'comment public opinion manipulation' case, was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial.

Judge Lee Su-jeong of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 17 sentenced Cheon, who was charged with assault, to 4 months in prison with a 1-year suspension on the 3rd.

Cheon was charged with assault for hitting Governor Kim once on the back of the head and strongly grabbing and pulling his neck while Kim was returning home after his second summons investigation at the office of the Special Prosecutor Heo Ik-beom team in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at around 5:20 a.m. on August 10, 2018.

The court stated, "Freedom of expression is a citizen's right that forms the foundation of a democratic society, but it must be exercised within legal boundaries," and added, "The defendant caused harm to the victim, which is a serious offense, and this cannot be viewed differently just because the victim is a high-ranking public official."

Meanwhile, Cheon has held rallies in front of the Special Prosecutor's office urging the arrest and investigation of Governor Kim and has been live streaming these activities on YouTube.

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