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Man in 50s Gets Prison Sentence for Assaulting Driver Over Headlights

Choi Jae-yeong

Published : Oct 31, 2026 3:16 PM

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Around 5:00 PM on February 9, a man in his 50s, surnamed A, blocked a vehicle driven by a man in his 20s.

When the driver in his 20s kept the engine running, stopped the car briefly, and asked through the window, "What is the matter?", A suddenly slapped the driver in the face.

Investigators found that A then struck the driver's neck with the side of his hand and grabbed him by the collar.

The attack was triggered because the vehicle's headlights shone on his face.

Investigations revealed that A had previously been sentenced to one year in prison in 2022 for violating the Stalking Punishment Act and other charges, and was released in February 2023 after serving his sentence.

The Busan District Court sentenced A, who was indicted under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes for assaulting a driver, to six months in prison.

The court stated the reasoning for the sentencing, explaining, "Assaulting a driver carries the risk of causing serious harm such as traffic accidents and undermines public traffic safety and order. The crime is grave as he assaulted the driver simply out of anger."

(Reported by Choi Jae-yeong | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News)