A man in his 30s fined 3 million won for assaulting a taxi driver with the words "Are you a red?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A male passenger in his 30s who assaulted a taxi driver while saying "Are you a red?" was sentenced to a fine.

According to the legal community on the 10th, Chief Judge Choi Changhoon of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 8 recently sentenced A (37), who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (assault on a driver, etc.), injury, and property damage, to a fine of 3 million won.

Earlier, on December 31 last year, around 8 p.m., A boarded a taxi in Seocho-gu, Seoul, and while moving, kicked the backrest of the driver's seat several times and threw objects inside the vehicle at the taxi driver B while saying, "Are you a red, are you a red?" He was prosecuted for assaulting B, who was driving.

He was also charged with pushing B with his hand when B stopped the car, opened the rear door, and demanded him to get off, causing injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment. Additionally, he is accused of tearing off a payment pad fixed inside the vehicle and a car coffee pot holder, fleeing with them, and then discarding them.

In court, A admitted all his charges. A's lawyer stated, "The defendant was intoxicated at the time of the incident and deeply regrets his actions," adding, "He sincerely apologizes to the victim, and a smooth settlement has been reached, with the victim also seeking leniency for the defendant."

In his final statement, A said, "I drank excessively," and apologized for causing social disturbance in this manner. At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution requested the court to impose a fine of 8 million won.

The court found all of A's charges guilty. However, considering "the defendant is a first-time offender, and the victim has reached a settlement and does not want the defendant to be punished," the court sentenced him to a fine of 3 million won.

Article 5-10, Paragraph 1 of the current Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes stipulates that "a person who assaults or threatens a driver of a moving vehicle shall be punished by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won." Unlike simple assault, this crime of assaulting a driver is not a 'quasi-offense' that cannot be punished if the victim does not wish to prosecute.

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