Officer spat on at vote-counting site protest

Court cites disregard for public authority, risk of reoffending

Kim, who spat on a police officer during a protest to block a vote-counting site at Jamsil, arrives at Seoul Eastern District Court for a detention hearing on June 25. [Yonhap]
Kim, who spat on a police officer during a protest to block a vote-counting site at Jamsil, arrives at Seoul Eastern District Court for a detention hearing on June 25. [Yonhap]

A woman in her mid-40s has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for spitting on and verbally abusing an on-duty police officer at a rally near Olympic Park in Seoul.

Judge Lee Ji-min of Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division 9 handed down the sentence Tuesday afternoon to Kim, 45, on charges of obstruction of official duties, assault and insult.

"The defendant insulted police officers with abusive language, obstructed the performance of official duties, and showed disregard for public authority," the court said in explaining the ruling. "She has a weak sense of law-abiding conduct and is deemed at risk of reoffending." The court also noted that most of the victims had not forgiven her and had petitioned for a severe punishment.

The court further noted that her methods were dangerous, describing how she hurled abuse at victims without apparent cause and struck them while holding a dangerous object.

However, the court took into account mitigating factors, including that Kim admitted to and expressed remorse for her actions. It also noted that she had been receiving medication for bipolar affective disorder since 2024 but had discontinued treatment on her own, which the court found contributed to the offenses.

Kim also reached a settlement with one of the officers she had insulted, paying 1 million won ($756), after which the officer withdrew the complaint and the court dismissed the insult charge against her.

Kim faces charges of spitting on and verbally abusing an on-duty police officer at a protest near the handball gymnasium at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on June 23. She was also found to have told the officer that "the personal information of Chinese nationals should be investigated" while unlawfully photographing his face with her mobile phone.


20ki@heraldcorp.com