Man accused of pushing a man in his 50s to his death at an Itaewon bar... “Bar left him unattended for a long time”

[Financial News] A man in his 30s indicted on charges of beating a man in his 50s to death at a bar in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul, admitted all the charges at his first court hearing. However, he argued that the bar’s leaving the victim unattended for a long time after he collapsed should be taken into account in sentencing.
On the 9th, the Seoul Western District Court’s Criminal Division 13, presided over by Judge Lee Sang-won, held the first hearing for Lee, 34, who was indicted and detained on charges of causing death through bodily injury.
Lee’s lawyer admitted the charges that day, saying, “I admit all the facts alleged in the indictment.” The lawyer went on to say, “Please take into account in sentencing that the establishment’s leaving the victim unattended for an extended period was also a major cause of his death.” The lawyer also said that settlement talks with the victim’s bereaved family were underway.
According to the prosecution service, Lee is accused of causing the death of a man in his 50s at a bar in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul, which Lee visited on the 9th of last September. The man, who was drunk, approached Lee, picked a fight and slapped him, after which Lee allegedly pushed the man’s head hard with the palm of his hand. The victim fell backward, hit his head on the floor and suffered injuries including a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage.
Investigators found that the victim remained at the bar for a long time after the assault and was discovered by an employee the following morning.
The bar’s owner, surnamed Park, is also under investigation in connection with the case. The court decided to call the owner as a witness at the next hearing to establish how the victim came to be left unattended.
The prosecution service also submitted CCTV footage showing what happened at the time of the incident as additional evidence. At the next hearing, the court plans to play the footage and review key scenes.
On the 12th of last September, the court issued an arrest warrant for Lee, saying, “There is a risk he may flee.” Police transferred Lee to prosecutors in custody on the 18th of the same month, and the prosecution service indicted him while he was in custody on the 30th.
The next hearing is scheduled for December 11 at 2:30 p.m.
[email protected] Choi Seung-han Reporter