"Went to Protect Victim, Assaulted by Suspect"... Man in His 50s Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Police Officers

Chuncheon District Court Sentences Defendant to Two Years in Prison

"Serious Offense Requires Strict Punishment"

A man in his 50s who caused a disturbance by kicking police officers dispatched to protect a person with a history of dating violence victimization and by assaulting officers inside the police station has been sentenced to prison.

On July 4, according to Yonhap News Agency, the Criminal Division 2 of the Chuncheon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Seongrae) sentenced Mr. A (age 56), who was indicted on charges of causing injury while obstructing official duties with a dangerous instrument and obstructing official duties, to two years in prison.

Front view of Chuncheon District Court

In April, Mr. A, while intoxicated and crying on a tour bus returning from a trip with village residents, called 112 and requested police assistance. When Officer B checked the situation with the bus driver and others, Mr. A got off the bus and repeatedly struck Officer B's legs and face and hurled abusive language at him, leading to prosecution. At that time, the police took into account that Mr. A had been previously designated as a protected person for dating violence as of December 2024, and, in order to prevent further harm, tracked Mr. A's whereabouts. The assault occurred while police were verifying facts in front of a restaurant in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, where Mr. A was located.

Mr. A was arrested at the scene and, at the Hongcheon Police Station, when Officer C tried to handcuff him, Mr. A struck Officer C's face with his palm and fist. Later, in the restroom, as another officer, Officer D, released the left-hand handcuff to allow Mr. A to use the toilet, Mr. A used the handcuff on his right wrist to strike Officer D's nose, causing a fracture that required about three weeks of medical treatment. Additionally, when police verbally tried to restrain Mr. A, who was making a disturbance in the detention cell and feared to be at risk of self-harm, Mr. A caused a disturbance while not wearing pants, shouted profanities, and struck Officer E on the head.

The court stated, "Considering the methods and contents of each offense and the degree of injuries suffered by the police officers, the defendant bears significant responsibility." The court further noted, "Obstruction of official duties is a crime that undermines the legitimate exercise of public authority and impairs the function of the national legal order, and therefore requires strict punishment." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "We considered the fact that Mr. A made criminal deposits of 150,000 to 2 million won for the four victimized police officers as compensation, and that this was his first offense with no prior criminal record, in determining the sentence."

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