40s Man Causes Over 40 Million Won in Damage to Karaoke Room Run by Acquaintance with 183 Credit Transactions Over 2 Years?

Sentenced to 2 Years Probation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] Mr. A, a man in his 40s, visited a karaoke room located in Dobong-gu, Seoul. Each time he visited, he enjoyed indulgence by ordering alcohol and hostess services worth 200,000 won. However, he was known to say each time, "If you provide the alcohol and call the hostess, I will pay the bill later."

In this way, from March 2017 to July 2019, he ran up a tab 183 times. The damage caused to the karaoke room amounted to approximately 40 million won. Due to the continuous unpaid bills, the karaoke room's business situation worsened, and eventually, Mr. B, who operated the karaoke room, decided to close it down.

However, during the two years of 183 unpaid bills, Mr. B had his own reasons. First, it was investigated that Mr. A and Mr. B were originally acquaintances who trusted each other. Although payments were continuously delayed, Mr. B did not think that Mr. A had no intention of paying at all. Additionally, since illegal activities such as arranging hostesses were being conducted at the karaoke room, there was also a burden in reporting the matter.

Eventually, in August 2019, unable to endure any longer, Mr. B demanded that Mr. A pay the outstanding bills. However, what followed was not money but a physical altercation. Mr. A grabbed and shook Mr. B's arm, causing multiple bruises that required about two weeks of treatment.

Mr. A was indicted on charges of fraud and injury, and according to the legal community on the 13th, on the 25th of last month, Judge Park Ji-won of the Criminal Division 6 at the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced Mr. A (40 years old) to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation. Additionally, probation, 80 hours of community service, and 40 hours of violence treatment lectures were ordered.

The court stated, "Defendant Mr. A continuously committed crimes for the purpose of entertainment, had bad motives, and used personal trust relationships to cause serious damage to the victim to the extent that the victim had to close the business," but also judged, "It is difficult to see the degree of deception in the fraud as severe, and the victim's illegal activities such as selling alcohol and arranging hostesses at the karaoke room facilitated the defendant's fraudulent acts."

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