"He's Always Like That": Karaoke Owner Sentenced to Prison for Neglecting Intoxicated Man

A court has handed down a prison sentence to a karaoke room owner in their 60s for leaving a heavily intoxicated customer collapsed in front of the store entrance for 12 hours, ultimately leading to his death.

The Changwon District Court's Criminal Division 4 announced that it sentenced A, who was indicted on charges of abandonment resulting in death, to two years in prison.

A was prosecuted for discovering a man in his 60s lying unconscious in a state of severe intoxication at the entrance of a karaoke room in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, on the night of December 30, 2024, and leaving him there without reporting the incident to the police or emergency services, resulting in his death.

At the time, the lowest temperature dropped to 0.4°C (33°F) in the cold weather, and investigations revealed that the deceased man was wearing only a T-shirt and jeans without an outer jacket.

The man had been drinking with acquaintances before visiting the karaoke room alone, and it was found that he had consumed a bottle of soju while moving back and forth between a nearby bakery and the karaoke room.

Despite the man lying collapsed, A reportedly brushed off the situation to other customers, saying, "He is someone who often sits around this drunk," and continued business operations by soliciting customers.

The man was taken to the hospital only the next morning following A's report, but he was ultimately pronounced dead due to head injuries and other causes.

During the trial, A denied the charges, arguing, "I never abandoned the man, and even if the act of abandonment is recognized, a causal relationship with his death cannot be established," but the court rejected this claim.

The court pointed out, "Although the victim could have been easily rescued with a simple report, the responsibility is extremely heavy given the severity of the offense and its consequences, especially as A continued to solicit customers."

However, the court noted in its sentencing rationale, "The crime does not appear to have been committed with definitive intent."

(Produced by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Lee Eui-seon | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.