60-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison for Refusing to Wear Mask and Causing Disturbance on Bus

Seoul Eastern District Court

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 60s who insulted a bus driver for properly wearing a mask and caused a disturbance for about 20 minutes, interfering with the driving, was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial.

On the 8th, Judge Lee Yooyoung of the Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Eastern District Court recently sentenced A (65), who was charged with refusing to wear a mask on the bus and causing a disturbance (obstruction of business and insult), to six months in prison.

It was investigated that on the afternoon of August 4 last year, while on a bus near Songpa-gu, Seoul, A lowered his mask and ate rice cakes. When the driver asked him to wear the mask, he said, "I will prevent you from driving the bus," causing a disturbance and interfering with the driving. He is also accused of insulting the driver by saying things like "A thug is driving the bus" in front of several passengers.

The court stated, "A has a prior record of punishment for similar offenses," and "considering that the case is not minor and that he has not been forgiven by the victim."

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