"I've liked you since elementary school"... Man in his 20s who bombarded her with confession DMs fined

Chuncheon District Court Fines Him 1 Million Won
Court: "He Continued Stalking Despite Police Warning"

A man in his 20s who contacted a female former classmate dozens of times, including by sending her messages repeatedly and expressing his feelings for her, was fined. The two had had no contact since graduating from elementary school.

According to Yonhap News on the 14th, Judge Jeong Jonggeon of the Chuncheon District Court's Criminal Division 1, sitting alone, fined A, 22, 1 million won on the 10th for violating the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes. The court also ordered A to complete 40 hours of a stalking treatment program.

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A was indicted on charges of attempting to contact B, 22, a female former elementary school classmate, 14 times from July 14 to 19 by sending direct messages (DMs) on social media or calling her.

At the time, A sent B messages such as, "If anything is bothering you, contact me. I really like you," and "I've liked you since elementary school, but I held back. Even though I couldn't see you, I kept my feelings for you." The two reportedly had little contact after graduating from elementary school.

After receiving a report from B, police warned A on July 19 not to contact her through social media or go to see her in person. However, at around noon that day, 25 minutes after receiving the warning, A sent B a message saying, "Thank you for reporting me. Now I know the police officer is on my side, too." A continued stalking her, sending 16 more messages by the morning of July 21.

The court found that A's conduct was not minor, given that he repeatedly sent messages against the victim's wishes and continued his actions even after being warned by police. It said, however, that it had taken into account that A had no prior criminal record, admitted to the offense, and that the victim's mother had appealed for leniency.

Judge Jeong explained the reasons for the sentence, saying, "The victim's mother knows the defendant's health and family circumstances well. In deciding the sentence, I took into consideration her appeal for leniency, asking that the defendant be given an opportunity to repent, refrain from harming others in the future, and lead a diligent life."

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