A 50-year-old man who forcibly took an elementary student riding an electric scooter to a police station has been fined for child abuse.

On the 26th, Kim Yong-shin, the chief judge of the 8th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court, sentenced the 50-year-old driver, referred to as A, to a fine of 8 million won for violating the Child Welfare Act (child abuse).

A was charged for forcibly taking the elementary school student, who crossed the centerline on his electric scooter, into his vehicle and bringing him to a nearby police station in July of last year.

At the time of the incident, A reversed his vehicle to stop the student and admonished him, saying, "You almost caused a traffic accident," before leaving the scene after dropping the student off at the police station.

The student’s party filed a complaint against A, and the prosecution determined that such actions constituted child abuse.

Conflicting Claims from Victim and Perpetrator

Initially, a summary order was issued resulting in a fine; however, A requested a formal trial, stating that he only intended to discipline the child to inform him of his dangerous behavior. In contrast, the victim's parents made a completely different claim.

The parents of the victim explained, “The child on the scooter briefly went onto the road to avoid the bumpy sidewalk. When A’s car honked and approached, the child crossed the road to avoid it.”

Furthermore, they rebutted, “A actually chased after the child, driving aggressively.”

The court concluded, “Considering the circumstances of the crime and the height and weight of the victim, it is sufficiently recognized that A acted with intent in forcibly taking him into the car,” and ruled guilty.

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