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A man in his 50s who went on rampages at bars and assaulted staff has been sentenced to prison.

Judge Seok Dong-woo of the Changwon District Court's Criminal Division 4 sentenced the man, identified only as A, to one year and four months in prison Saturday on charges of obstruction of business, assault and fraud.

A was indicted on charges of causing disturbances and assaulting employees at two bars in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province — Bar B and a karaoke bar — between January and February. He also faces charges of failing to pay a 120,000-won ($85) tab at a third establishment, Bar C, during the same period.

At Bar B, A became enraged over a previous incident in which staff had called police after he refused to pay his bill, and proceeded to assault an employee — striking the worker's forehead multiple times with his mobile phone.

At the karaoke bar, he verbally abused a female employee and physically grabbed her by the neck and shoulders after she failed to play a song he had requested, according to investigators.

A has a lengthy criminal record involving violence and fraud. He had been sentenced to four years in prison for violating the Punishment of Violent Crimes Act and was released in December 2025 — less than two months before the latest offenses.

The court said "the quality of the crimes is poor, as he committed similar offenses during the habitual-offender period, making severe punishment unavoidable." On sentencing, however, the court added that it took into account "his acknowledgment of the crimes and remorseful attitude, as well as his reaching an amicable settlement with the fraud victim."


ehkim@heraldcorp.com