Prosecutors have sought a two-year prison term for a woman in her 40s who was indicted and detained on charges including spitting at a police officer and assaulting a fellow protester during a demonstration that blocked a ballot-counting station at Olympic Park in Seoul's Songpa district.
Prosecutors made the request on the 8th at the first hearing for the defendant, identified by her surname Kim, 45, who faces charges of obstruction of official duties, assault and insult. The hearing was presided over by Senior Judge Lee Ji-min of the Seoul Eastern District Court sitting as a single-judge bench.
Kim is accused of assaulting or hurling abuse at police officers and other protesters, and of obstructing police in the performance of their duties, at the Jamsil counting station protest site from June 22 through the following day this year. Investigators identified a total of five victims.
Kim allegedly told an officer on patrol at the site, "Aren't you a Chinese police officer?" and tried to film his face. When she was stopped, she spat twice in the officer's face, according to investigators. She is also accused of assaulting other protesters after getting into altercations with them and of using abusive language as officers tried to intervene.
"She assaulted and insulted a police officer and went so far as to assault another protester she had never met, which makes this a serious offense," prosecutors said in explaining the sentence they sought. "We did take into account, however, that the defendant is remorseful and that there are mitigating circumstances such as depression."
Kim admitted to all of the charges in court that day. Her lawyer argued that she had joined the rally "out of a belief that we should not turn away from citizens suffering from violations of their right to political participation," adding that "misunderstandings arose at the scene and led to an unplanned offense."
The lawyer also asked the court to consider that Kim "has a mental illness, admits to the offense and is deeply remorseful," and that she "is working to reach settlements with the victims."
Kim is the first person to be indicted and held in custody among protesters investigated by police over the counting-station blockade demonstrations. The court issued a detention warrant for her on June 25, citing flight risk and the possibility of reoffending.
Kim's next hearing is scheduled for the morning of the 29th.
