Former Elementary Baseball Team Coach's Sentence Reduced to Fine on Appeal in Abuse Case

Gwangju District Court building. Photo by Song Bohyun

A former coach who habitually abused elementary school baseball team players avoided a prison sentence and received a fine on appeal.

On the 20th, the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 3 (Presiding Judge Kim Seongheum) overturned the original sentence of 1 year and 6 months in prison with 3 years of probation for A (36), who was indicted for violating the Child Welfare Act, and instead sentenced him to a fine of 15 million won.

A was put on trial for physically and emotionally abusing students while serving as the coach of an elementary school baseball team in Jeonnam from November 2018 to June 2022.

He was found to have thrown baseballs at students, verbally abused specific individuals in front of others, and imposed severe physical punishments.

The appellate court stated, "Although the nature of the crime is serious considering the psychological trauma suffered by the victims, we took into account that the defendant admitted all wrongdoing, showed remorse, and reached settlements with many of the victims."

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