17-07-2025
Binggrae heir fined W5m for assaulting police officer
Kim Dong-hwan, president of South Korean food conglomerate Binggrae, was fined 5 million won ($3,600) by an appeals court for assaulting a police officer who attempted to stop his drunken outburst, the court said Thursday.
The Seoul Western District Court upheld the original verdict, handing Kim the same fine for obstructing law enforcement.
Kim, 42, is the eldest son of Binggrae Chair Kim Ho-yeon and the grandson of the late Kim Chong-hee, founder of Hanwha Group.
He was indicted for assaulting a police officer who was dispatched to the scene after a report was made to the 112 emergency line. The incident occurred in June last year at an apartment complex in Yongsan, central Seoul, where Kim caused a disturbance while intoxicated.
The lower court initially fined Kim 5 million won, citing the seriousness of assaulting a police officer on duty. However, it also acknowledged the officers' pleas for leniency. Prosecutors had appealed the ruling, arguing the punishment was too lenient, but the higher court dismissed the appeal.
