Gym Owner and Trainer Acquitted After Member Dies Trapped Under 70kg Barbell for 25 Minutes

A court has acquitted a gym owner and a trainer who were charged with professional negligence resulting in death following an accident where a member died after being trapped under a barbell at a gym.

According to legal circles on July 20, Judge Kim Soo-hong of the Busan District Court Western Branch delivered a not-guilty verdict to the owner and the trainer of a gym in Busan, who had been indicted on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

They were brought to trial for the accident that occurred on December 20, 2024, at approximately 1:00 p.m., when a member in his 40s died after his neck was pressed by a barbell while he was performing bench presses alone on the third floor of the gym with a weight of about 70kg.

At the time of the accident, the member was left trapped under the barbell for about 25 minutes. He fell into a coma and passed away about a week later.

Under the Physical Education Facilities Act, gyms are required to employ at least one sports instructor if the dedicated exercise area is 300 square meters or less, and at least two if it exceeds that size.

The prosecution argued that the gym owner operated the facility in violation of this rule and that the trainer was negligent in their duty to monitor the condition of users and take appropriate measures in the event of an emergency.

However, the court acknowledged that while they failed to station a sports instructor, it was difficult to conclude that the presence of an instructor would have prevented the accident.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.