The assailant in the so-called "Busan roundhouse kick" case, who is on trial for retaliatory threats against the victim, failed to appear at his appellate hearing. He reportedly cited dissatisfaction with his court-appointed defense attorney as one of the reasons for his absence.
According to the legal community Monday, the Busan High Court's Criminal Division 2 (presiding judge Park Un-sam) is hearing the appeal of Lee, a man in his 30s, who was indicted on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliatory threats).
Lee did not appear at the hearing held on the first of this month, following his absence at the first trial date on May 27. On both occasions, he submitted a written explanation for his absence to the court on the day of the hearing. The written explanations submitted by Lee reportedly cited health reasons and dissatisfaction with his court-appointed defense attorney, respectively.
The court did not recognize these as legitimate grounds for absence. It therefore set the next hearing date for the 22nd and announced that it would proceed with the trial even if the defendant did not appear.
Lee, upon receiving this notice, reportedly expressed through a correctional officer his intention to attend the next hearing.
The Busan High Court said it would appropriately exercise its authority to direct proceedings within the scope permitted under current law, so that the trial would not be delayed by the defendant's repeated absences.
Lee is charged with retaliatory threats, including making statements to the effect that he would assault or kill Kim Jin-ju (a pen name), the victim of the "Busan roundhouse kick" case, to fellow inmate and YouTuber A and others in February 2023 while incarcerated.
This came to light when A, after his release, revealed the situation at the time through a YouTube broadcast.
Lee is also charged with publicly insulting the victim through conversations with inmates in adjacent cells during his incarceration, sending threatening letters to his ex-girlfriend, and forcing a cellmate to bring in items purchased during visits.
The first trial sentenced Lee to one year in prison. Both the prosecution and the defendant subsequently appealed the ruling.
Lee is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence, finalized by the Supreme Court, for the so-called "Busan roundhouse kick" case, in which he chased and indiscriminately assaulted Kim, a woman he had never met, with the intent to sexually assault her on a street in Busanjin-gu, Busan, in May 2022.
