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Man who threw banknotes at motel employee committed assault, court rules

Published: 13 Apr. 2025, 15:59 Updated: 14 Apr. 2025, 00:57

50,000 won ($35) bills [JOONGANG ILBO]

A court rejected an appeal from a man accused of throwing a stack of banknotes in a motel employee’s face, ruling that the act amounted to assault under Korean law.

The man in his 30s had been fined 500,000 won ($350) for throwing eight 50,000 won bills at an employee in the parking lot of a motel in Suwon, Gyeonggi, in January 2023.

The man attempted to park on the way to meet his girlfriend, but the motel worker told him that only guests with premium rooms could use the lot. The defendant allegedly threw the stack of bills directly at the employee's face after an argument.

Prosecutors later charged him with assault, arguing that throwing money at someone’s face constituted unlawful physical force.

The man denied wrongdoing, claiming he'd thrown the cash toward the motel’s counter, not at the employee and arguing that paper bills could not cause harm and therefore did not meet the legal standard for assault.

Legal sources said Sunday that Suwon District Court had rejected the man's attempt to appeal the fine.

The court ruled that the man had used physical force that caused both physical and psychological distress, citing evidence reviewed in the initial trial.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]