Pastor sentenced to a fine for committing violence against a passerby protesting the noise of evangelistic broadcasts through loudspeakers

A pastor who committed violence against a passerby protesting the noise from church evangelistic broadcasts via loudspeakers has been sentenced to a fine by the court.

According to the legal community on the 3rd, Judge Kang Kyung-mook of the 14th Criminal Division of the Seoul North District Court sentenced A (68) to a fine of 3 million won on charges of assault on the 24th of last month. This ruling has sparked social discussions about the balance between religious activities and public order.

Fine of 3 million won

A has been on trial for an incident that occurred in December of last year while conducting a church evangelistic broadcast using a loudspeaker in a vehicle on a road in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

It has been investigated that B, dissatisfied with the broadcast noise at the time, struck A's vehicle with a cane, prompting A to act violently.

Assault degree and criminal record influencing sentencing

According to court records, A grabbed B by the nape of the neck and shook him several times, pushing him down to the ground with both hands.

During this process, A reportedly took the cane from B, who was using it, and forcefully pushed him down.

The court explained, "A followed B and, during a struggle, took the cane away and forcefully pushed him down. The degree of assault is not light, and there are no mitigating circumstances to consider regarding the circumstances of the crime." It also added that "A has a history of multiple criminal punishments, including prison sentences."

This incident is drawing social attention to the issues of religious activities and noise in public places, as well as methods of conflict resolution. In particular, as complaints about the noise related to evangelistic activities using loudspeakers continue to arise, finding a balance between the freedom of religious activities and the peaceful living rights of others has emerged as an important task.

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