A Head of Team-level firefighter who engaged in "gapjil" because coworkers were not good at jokgu received a suspended prison sentence.
On Apr. 7, Presiding Judge Lee Jae-uk, Director General judge of the criminal division 3 single-judge panel at the Ulsan District Court, said firefighter A, who was charged with insult, injury, and coercion, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
A, while working as a Head of Team at a rescue center in Ulsan in 2024, is accused of abusing power by assaulting or demeaning subordinate and junior firefighters. During physical training time, while playing jokgu together, A bit a junior's ears on both sides, causing injuries, because the junior did not handle the ball properly, and used expressions that demeaned the junior's body in front of other colleagues. A also assaulted two other junior employees, striking the crown of their heads with a racket when they made mistakes while playing badminton or jokgu.
A also hurled abusive language at other employees. In front of another colleague, A shouted multiple times at subordinate firefighter C, saying, "You only come to your senses when you get beaten," and punched C. A also made C do horse-riding stance and run a lap around the fire agency building as punishment.
The court said, "It is highly wrongful that the defendant repeatedly directed insulting remarks, assault, and injury against colleagues at the same workplace," but noted, "We took into account the admission of the crimes and the defendant's age" in explaining the sentence.
The Ulsan Fire Branch of the Firefighting Headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union held a press conference in Oct. 2024 calling for A's suspension from duty and stern disciplinary action.