A man in his 50s who punched his elementary school son for playing a game received a suspended prison sentence.
According to legal sources on the 7th, Judge Song In-cheol of the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 9 sentenced a man in his 50s, identified as A, to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on charges including violating the Child Welfare Act (child abuse). The court also ordered probation and 40 hours of a child abuse recidivism prevention lecture.
A was accused of getting angry after seeing his elementary school son playing a game at their home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, in November last year and punching the boy's head and body 20 times. That night, while lying down together, when the son pushed A away with his foot, A also allegedly struck the boy's head about 10 times with a hand.
Responding to a child abuse report, a police officer had A leave the house and issued an emergency temporary measure banning approach within 100 meters. However, A was found to have tried several times to enter the house again.
The court said, "The defendant had previously abused his son physically and mentally on several occasions, which caused problems," and added, "We considered the fact that the defendant is remorseful and that the son does not want his father to be punished," explaining the sentencing reasons.