"I am a National Merit Recipient. You Red XX"…70-Year-Old Fined for Insulting Bus Driver

Showing Merit Certificate and Causing Disturbance Without Paying Fare
Court Considers Fare Payment System Changes in Sentencing

A man in his 70s who delayed bus operation by refusing to pay the fare while showing a national merit certificate upon boarding the bus was sentenced to a fine.

On the 2nd, the Daegu District Court, Criminal Division 2 (Judge Lee Won-jae) announced that it sentenced Mr. A (78), who was indicted on charges of obstruction of business, to a fine of 3 million won. Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of disturbing the bus operation by causing a commotion on a bus for about 20 minutes around 7:17 p.m. on August 11 last year in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, which led about 12 passengers to board another bus due to his intimidation.

At the time, Mr. A showed his national merit certificate to the bus driver upon boarding but did not pay the bus fare. When the bus driver said that even national merit recipients must pay the fare first, Mr. A reportedly cursed and shouted, saying, "I am a national merit recipient. I cannot pay the fare, you red commie XX."

In the past, national merit recipients did not have to pay bus fares if they showed their national merit certificate when boarding, but the system changed in January last year to require national merit recipients to pay the fare out of pocket using a transportation welfare card first and then receive a cash refund one month later.

The court pointed out, "The defendant's actions obstructed the bus operation, causing inconvenience as 12 passengers had to transfer to another bus," and added, "Considering that Mr. A has a history of more than 10 criminal punishments since 2000, the nature of the crime is not good." Regarding the sentencing reasons, the court explained, "However, we took into account that Mr. A showed a sincere attitude of remorse, his poor health condition, and that he committed the crime without realizing that the bus fare would be reimbursed later."

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