A woman was sentenced to a fine of 3 million won ($2,154), suspended for a year, for threatening an 11-year-old boy in retaliation for bullying her son.
According to the Incheon District Court on Thursday, the 44-year-old mother was found guilty of child abuse for causing emotional harm to the victim at an elementary school.
At around 2:57 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2023, the defendant called out to the victim in the street, cursing and telling him, "You better not run into me again." She also demanded that the child give her the phone number of his father, saying that she and her husband are both professors and are graduates of "SKY universities," referring to the three most prestigious universities in Korea.
She denied the charges, saying she only told the victim that it's wrong to bully a friend, and that he should stop.
The court, however, said that the victim's testimony was consistent and specific, noting that he had to receive counseling for a considerable time after the abuse.
"Child abuse crimes are severe in that they can negatively impact the victimized child's development," the court said in its ruling. But it handed the defendant a relatively lenient punishment on the grounds that she appeared to have committed the offense without premeditation and in the course of investigating her son's bullying at school.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
