- Graphic by Park Ji-young/The Korea Herald
SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors have asked a court to add three years to the prison sentence of the perpetrator of the notorious 2022 "Busan spin-kick" attack, who is already serving a 20-year term for violently assaulting a woman with the intent to rape her.
According to the legal community, the Busan District Court Western Branch recently held a sentencing hearing on charges including retaliatory threats, coercion and insult against the inmate, identified only by his surname Lee. Prosecutors requested an additional three-year prison term.
The charges stem from statements Lee allegedly made in February 2023 while incarcerated, in which he threatened to assault and kill the victim of the 2022 case in an act of retribution. The threats were reportedly made to fellow inmates, including a YouTuber, prosecutors said.
Lee is also accused of sending threatening letters to his former girlfriend and coercing a cellmate into smuggling purchased items brought during prison visits.
Lee denied any intent to retaliate against the victim and offered an apology during his final statement. "I convey my apologies to the victim," he said. "I have no reason or intention whatsoever to carry out any form of retaliation."
The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on Feb 12.
Lee is serving a 20-year prison sentence for an attack that occurred on May 22, 2022, in a residential neighbourhood in Busan. Prosecutors said he followed the victim as she was returning home, assaulted her inside an apartment building elevator with a spinning kick to her head and continued beating her, causing severe injuries to her skull, brain and ankle.
The victim was dragged to an area without surveillance cameras, raising suspicions of sexual assault. While Lee's DNA was found on the victim's pants, investigators said the victim had been unconscious, making it impossible to conclusively prove rape.
The court nonetheless determined that the violence had been carried out with the intent to commit rape and sentenced Lee to 20 years in prison, a ruling that was upheld by the Supreme Court in September 2023. - The Korea Herald/ANN
