A man in his 50s has been sentenced to prison for assaulting a driver because the vehicle's headlights shone on his face.

According to the legal community on the 31st, Judge Lee Yu-seop of the Criminal Division at the Busan District Court's Western Branch sentenced a man in his 50s, identified as A, to six months in prison on charges of assaulting a driver under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

A was indicted for blocking a vehicle and assaulting the driver, a man in his 20s, on a road in Sasang-gu, Busan, at about 5:15 PM on February 9, after becoming angered when the vehicle's lights shone on his face.

According to the investigation, when the driver stopped briefly with the engine running, rolled down the window, and asked, "Why are you doing this?", A suddenly slapped him, struck his neck with the side of his hand, and grabbed him by the collar.

A had previously been sentenced to one year in prison for violating the Stalking Punishment Act and other charges, and after serving his term, was released in February 2023. He committed the latest crime during the probation period for repeat offenses.

"Assaulting a driver poses a risk of causing serious harm such as traffic accidents and undermines public traffic safety and order," Judge Lee said, explaining the reasoning behind the sentencing. "The culpability is heavy as he assaulted the driver simply out of anger."