"Instead of Saying 'Put Your Mask Up,' You Should Say 'Please Put It Up'": Convenience Store Employee Assaulted by Man in His 50s Sentenced to Prison

On the 12th, the 'Mandatory Mask Wearing Measure,' which requires wearing masks at all times indoors regardless of the social distancing level, was implemented. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Since the implementation of the 'Mandatory Mask-Wearing Measure' on the 12th, masks must always be worn indoors regardless of the social distancing level. However, incidents of customers verbally abusing and assaulting employees who encourage mask-wearing have been occurring repeatedly.

Recently, a man in his 50s who verbally abused and violently assaulted a convenience store employee because he disliked the employee's tone when asking him to properly wear a mask was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

According to the legal community on the 25th, Judge Kim Taekyun of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 16 sentenced defendant A (55), who was charged with obstruction of business, assault, special intimidation, and violation of the Minor Offenses Act, to 8 months in prison and a fine of 600,000 won.

In February of this year, A visited a convenience store in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and when the employee asked him to properly wear his mask, he assaulted the employee and obstructed the store's business because he disliked the employee's tone.

A reportedly said, "You should say 'Please pull up your mask' instead of 'Pull up your mask,'" while hurling insults, then entered behind the counter and struck the employee multiple times on the stomach, head, and face. He then dragged the employee to a corner behind the counter and threatened to stab the employee's face with tongs that were nearby.

The court stated, "Considering the extent of the damage and the nature of the crime, the offense is serious," and pointed out, "The defendant has a history of multiple punishments for similar crimes and has not made any significant restitution."

Meanwhile, on the 7th, an incident occurred at a convenience store in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk, where a customer, enraged by an employee's request to wear a mask, repeatedly struck the employee's head with a wine bottle displayed in the store.

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