"Why Are You Looking at Me Like That?" Firefighter Fined for Punching Teen on Bus

Punched a teenage student on a bus
Court: "The crime was serious, but we took into account that he was a first-time offender, among other factors"

A firefighter who assaulted a teenager on a city bus because he felt the teen was looking at him unpleasantly has been fined.

According to Yonhap News on November 13, Judge Lee Yun-gyu of the Eastern Branch of the Busan District Court fined A, who was indicted on charges of inflicting bodily injury, KRW 3 million.

Court image. The Asia Business Daily DB

A was sent to trial on suspicion of punching 17-year-old B in the face once inside a city bus stopped at the Oryukdo Middle School bus stop in Nam-gu, Busan, at around 10:55 p.m. on April 9, 2026.

Investigators found that A became angry in the moment and committed the offense because B had looked at him with an unpleasant expression. As a result, B sustained injuries, including bruising around the eye, requiring three weeks of treatment.

According to the written judgment, A is a firefighter assigned to a fire station in Busan.

The court ruled, "The defendant inflicted bodily injury on the victim for no particular reason and then denied committing the offense when the victim came after him, among other things, making the crime serious. The victim has also called for severe punishment for the defendant."

However, the court explained its sentencing, saying, "We took into consideration, among other things, that the defendant has no prior criminal record."

A was disciplined in June 2026, but the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters did not disclose the specific details of the disciplinary action, citing relevant laws.

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