20s Foreign Worker Kills Colleague Over Prank, Appeals Court Also Sentences to 18 Years

[Financial News]  A 20s foreign worker who killed a colleague in anger over a prank was sentenced to prison in the appeals court as well.

According to the legal community on the 27th, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 5 (Chief Judge Kwon Sun-hyung) sentenced Thai national A (22) to 18 years in prison, the same as the first trial, for murder charges on the 15th.

A was tried for killing fellow Thai worker B, among four others, during a drinking session last August, after getting angry over a prank and wielding a weapon during a scuffle.

At the time of the incident, when B offered food to A with a spoon, A threw the spoon B was holding as a joke. This upset A, leading to a scuffle with B, and their companions separated them.

Later, A went to his accommodation, retrieved a weapon, and attacked B with it, according to investigations.

B was taken to the hospital but eventually died.

The first trial court stated, "The circumstances, means, and methods of this crime are very poor, and no agreement was reached with the victim's family," adding, "Even considering favorable factors such as the defendant's efforts to call an ambulance, his remorse for the crime, and lack of prior convictions in Korea, it is appropriate to isolate the defendant from society for a long time to prevent recidivism and hold him accountable for his actions," sentencing A to 18 years in prison.

A appealed the sentence as too heavy, but the court did not accept it.

The appeals court explained the sentencing reason, stating, "It is difficult to see any new circumstances or special changes to reflect in the sentencing after the original judgment."

A's side submitted a waiver of appeal to the court after the appeals court ruling, and the judgment was finalized.

newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter