Three Men in Their 20s Sentenced to Prison for Verbally Abusing Police at Ballot Counting Center

Charged with Special Obstruction of Official Duties

"Undermining the Exercise of Government Authority"

All three men in their 20s who stood trial for verbally abusing police officers at the protest site near the ballot counting center in Olympic Park, Seoul, have been sentenced to actual prison terms.

Demonstrators are waving the U.S. flag and the Taegeukgi flag at the entrance of the Handball Stadium in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Judge Lee Joon-gu of the Seoul Eastern District Court’s Criminal Division 7 sentenced Park, a man in his 20s who was indicted and detained on charges of special obstruction of official duties, to six months in prison. The judge also sentenced Kim and another man in their 20s, who were not initially detained but indicted on the same charge, to six months in prison and ordered their immediate detention in court.

Judge Lee explained the sentencing, stating, “The nature and circumstances of the crime are serious, considering that the defendants mocked and blocked the victim police officers who were maintaining order and patrolling to prevent crime at the protest site several times, and surrounded them with numerous other demonstrators to present a multi-person threat. Obstruction of official duties undermines legitimate government authority, hinders the functioning of the state, and even threatens the physical safety of police officers. Therefore, it is necessary to impose strict punishment.”

Park and the others were put on trial for blocking the police who were maintaining order at the Olympic Park ballot counting center protest in June, mocking them by calling them "Chinese police," and otherwise interfering with the officers’ official duties.

Previously, prosecutors had sought a one-year prison sentence for each of the defendants, including Park.

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