Changwon city council member Kim Min A, who used abusive language about the Itaewon tragedy, said, ”I'm sorry to the victims”... Appeal court also suspends sentence = South Korea

Kim MinA, a member of the ruling People's Power Party and a Changwon city council member, was indicted on charges of insulting the families of victims of the Itaewon disaster and members of the Cargo Solidarity Union on social media.
On the 15th, the first criminal division of the Changwon District Court dismissed the prosecution's appeal in the appeal trial of Rep. Kim, who was indicted on charges of defamation, and suspended the sentence of three months in prison, the same as in the first trial.
A suspended sentence is a ruling that postpones the imposition of a sentence for minor crimes for a certain period of time, and if two years have passed since the suspension date, the sentence is effectively null and void.
In December 2022, Rep. Kim posted on his social media about the victims of the Itaewon tragedy, "Did they die saving the country?" and "Those who are on the side of The Body...
" Around the same time, he was indicted on charges of publishing statements such as "Cargo Solidarity is a group of outrageous weirdos who are fearlessly rebelling against their country."
At the appeals court's closing hearing in August, the prosecution sought a 3 million won (US$3,280) fine from Kim.
In the appeal hearing, the court said, "The prosecutor's arguments have already been reflected in the first hearing, and there are no special circumstances that warrant their reflection in the sentencing in the appeal hearing. The first hearing's three-month prison sentence has been suspended.
"The sentence cannot be considered lighter than the fine requested by the prosecutors," he said, explaining the reason for the dismissal of the appeal. After the appeal court verdict was announced, Rep. Kim said, "I am truly sorry to the victims."