Man Who Assaulted Former School Bully Receives Suspended Sentence

A court has handed down a suspended prison sentence to a man who was put on trial for assaulting a person who had bullied him during their elementary school years.

In June 2024, the defendant, identified as A, happened to encounter B, his former school bully, smoking on a street in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

Overwhelmed by trauma, A assaulted B, leaving the victim with injuries including a concussion and a fracture around the eye.

A was indicted on charges of assault resulting in injury and was sentenced to six months in prison in October 2024.

It was reported that following the incident, A suffered from guilt and symptoms of bipolar disorder, and even attempted to take his own life.

A is currently receiving psychiatric treatment and working as a cleaning service worker at a lodging facility.

Both A and the prosecution appealed the first-instance ruling, and the appellate court opted for leniency.

On May 21, the Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division 1-3 sentenced A to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

The appellate court stated the reason for the sentencing, saying, "A encountered B by chance and, overcome by painful memories of being bullied in elementary school, was unable to control his emotions and committed the assault," adding, "He is deeply reflecting on his wrongdoing and is remorseful."

The court further noted that A had "deposited 4 million won in the first trial and an additional 4 million won in the second trial" as compensation for B.

Although B requested a strict punishment during the appellate trial, arguing that "the total amount of the deposits does not cover the medical expenses," the court stated that it had to "consider that A is from a single-parent family and his mother is a basic livelihood security recipient."

The court added that it reduced the sentence because A "is currently receiving psychiatric treatment and is working as a cleaning service worker, pledging to make efforts to compensate for the damage caused to B."

As neither A nor the prosecution appealed the appellate court's decision, the ruling has been finalized.

Reported by Lee Ho-geon | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.