Latest news with #ChuncheonDistrictCourt
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Public official gets 10 years for bribery in Pyeongchang sewerage projects
A former head of the Pyeongchang County Water and Sewerage Office was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday for taking bribes related to county sewage system projects, according to local news reports. The Chuncheon District Court in Gangwon Province also fined him 1 billion won ($710,000) and ordered the forfeiture of 350 million won. He was convicted of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Two former subordinates received sentences of three years and two years and six months in prison, respectively. They were ordered to forfeit 40 million to 50 million won. The head of the construction company that paid the bribes was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, suspended for probation. The court also sentenced a former Pyeongchang police officer to one year and six months in prison, suspended for probation, for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Prosecutors said the former water office chief accepted 350 million won in bribes between 2018 and 2020, while his subordinate, sentenced to three years, received 44 million won between 2018 and 2019 from the company head. The other subordinate also received tens of millions of won in bribe. The office head allegedly demanded 10 percent of construction fees in exchange for helping the company secure water and sewerage contracts worth 3.7 billion won. The former police officer was found to have received 20 million won in exchange for leaking details about an investigation into a workplace accident involving a company employee.
Korea Herald
15-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Drunk driver without license crashes car, pretends to be his brother
A South Korean court said Sunday it had upheld an earlier ruling that handed down a two-year prison sentence to a 29-year-old man for causing a car crash while driving under the influence of alcohol and without a valid license, and for pretending to be his brother when stopped by police. The defendant was found guilty of charges including dangerous driving resulting in injury, drunk driving, and document forgery, according to the Chuncheon branch of the Seoul High Court. He was also ordered to pay a 2 million won ($1,460) fine. The defendant crashed his car into another vehicle on a road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, on Feb. 24, 2024. He was intoxicated at the time and did not have a valid driver's license. The collision injured three people in the other car. The man falsely claimed to be his younger brother when police arrived on the scene, and forged his brother's signature on police documents related to the accident. The defendant claimed that his punishment was disproportionate to his offense, but the appellate court upheld the earlier ruling made by the Wonju branch of the Chuncheon District Court. The court pointed out that he committed the crime despite being punished for a previous drunk driving offense. The victim of the identity theft offense -- the defendant's brother -- did not want the man to be punished, but the court said such crimes undermine public order.
News18
12-06-2025
- News18
Workplace Prank Backfires As Woman Fined $2,000 For Pulling Down Male Colleague's Pants
Last Updated: A woman in South Korea has been subjected to a hefty fine after a court ruled that pulling down her male colleague's pants in front of others amounted to sexual misconduct. A woman in South Korea has been ordered to pay a fine of 2.8 million won (around $2,000) after a court found her guilty of sexual misconduct over what was intended as a prank. The incident took place in Gangwon province, where she pulled down a male colleague's trousers—and, unintentionally, his underwear—in front of others. The court ruled that the act, regardless of intent, crossed the line into inappropriate and offensive behaviour, highlighting the importance of maintaining personal boundaries in the workplace. As reported by The Korea Herald, the Chuncheon District Court on June 7 not only imposed a fine of approximately $2,000 on the woman but also ordered her to undergo eight hours of sexual violence prevention education. The ruling emphasised accountability and the need for awareness around inappropriate behaviour in professional settings. The Chuncheon District Court rejected the woman's defence that the act was merely a harmless joke, the publication stated. The prosecution argued that the so-called prank resulted in sexual humiliation for the victim and pressed charges of indecent act by compulsion. Agreeing with the prosecution, the court reportedly ruled the behaviour as unacceptable and ordered the woman to pay a fine and undergo eight hours of sexual violence prevention education. However, while delivering the sentence, the court also considered mitigating factors—including the woman's lack of a prior criminal record, her genuine remorse, and her heartfelt apology to both the victim and his parents, which she made while kneeling. What Took Place During The 'Prank'? The incident took place on October 3, 2024, at a restaurant where both individuals were employed. In front of several coworkers, a woman in her 50s suddenly pulled down the pants of a male colleague in his 20s, intending it as a prank. However, in the process, she unintentionally pulled down his underwear as well, exposing him in front of others. What may have been meant as a joke quickly escalated into a case of public embarrassment and legal consequences. The Pantsing Prank: What Is It? Pantsing is the act of pulling down someone's trousers—often in a public or group setting—with the intent to embarrass or provoke laughter. Though sometimes dismissed as a joke, it is increasingly recognised as a form of bullying or harassment, particularly when done without consent. In a notable 2019 case, South Korean Olympic short track speed skating champion Lim Hyo-jun faced a one-year ban from competition after pantsing a teammate, underscoring the serious consequences such actions can carry.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Woman fined $2,000 for pulling down male colleague's pants in front of team members
A woman in South Korea has been fined 2.8 million won (or $2,000 approximately) for a 'pantsing' prank on a male colleague. A court in the country Gangwon province ruled that her act of pulling down the colleague's trousers, and accidentally his underwear, constituted sexual misconduct. According to a report in The Korea Herald, the Chuncheon District Court on Saturday ordered the woman to complete eight hours of sexual violence prevention education in addition to the $2,000 fine. On October 3, 2024, the woman pulled down the pants of a male colleague in front of other coworkers. The incident occurred at the restaurant where they both worked. While pulling down his pants, she accidentally pulled down his underwear too. The woman is in her 50s, while the target of her prank is a man in his 20s. A judge in Chuncheon District Court, South Korea, dismissed the defendant's claim that the act was meant to be a joke. The prosecution alleged that the woman's 'prank' caused sexual humiliation and filed charges of indecent act by compulsion. Siding with the prosecution, the court then ordered her to pay a fine and complete eight hours of sexual violence prevention education. While passing the sentence, the court took into account the fact that the woman had no prior criminal record, showed remorse over her actions, and apologised to the victim and his parents while kneeling. Pantsing refers to the act of pulling down someone's trousers as a prank, usually in a public setting. It's often done to embarrass the person and has been called a form of bullying. In 2019, South Korean Olympic short track speed skating champion Lim Hyo-jun was banned from competition for a year after pulling down a team member's trousers. (Also read: Indian man's blunt job post triggers debate on toxic work culture: 'You won't survive')
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
South Korean woman fined for pulling down male colleague's trousers
A South Korean court has fined a woman for sexual misconduct after she pulled down a colleague's trousers - and his underwear, by accident - in front of their colleagues, local media reported. On top of the 2.8 million won ($2,100; £1,500) fine, the woman in her 50s has also been ordered to complete eight hours of sexual violence prevention education. The incident reportedly happened last October at a restaurant kitchen in Gangwon province in the north-east. The Chuncheon District Court's ruling on Saturday rejected the woman's claim that she had intended it to be a prank on her colleague, who is in his 20s. But the court said it was taking into account the fact that she had no prior criminal record and had shown remorse. She had knelt down to apologise to the man and his parents, the judge said. "It seems like they punished a simple prank too harshly," says one comment under the Chosun Daily's report of the case. But another reader argues, "The fine is not excessive at all. Why are you playing this kind of prank? Does this look like a prank to you?" Pulling down someone's trousers, which could include underwear - "pantsing" or "debagging" as it's known - is often seen as a common practical joke despite criticism that it is a form of bullying. Pantsing has long been used as a comic routine on variety shows and reality TV in South Korea. But it has got people in trouble as well. In 2019, South Korean Olympic short track speed skating champion Lim Hyo-jun was suspended for a year after he pulled down a male teammate's trousers in front of other female skaters. And in 2021, a group of elementary school students in North Jeolla Province were investigated for bullying a younger boy at a playground, after the victim's mother told police that they had pulled her son's pants down.
