Reporter Hong Soo-hyun of Edaily: A pastor in his 60s who killed a patient while performing acupuncture without a license for oriental medicine doctors was sentenced to probation in an appeal trial
A was indicted on charges of receiving 50,000 won from B67 and Yeo at his house at 4:30 p.m. on January 10 last year and placing a needle on his chest to death
From March 2021 to January last year, Mr. A set up an oriental medicine clinic at his home and conducted medical treatment without a license for oriental medicine doctors
The pastor was found to have put saliva on patients’ bodies and pretended to be an oriental medicine doctor, receiving about 50,000 won in medical fees per session
Then, on January 10th last year, victim B, in her 60s, had a pneumothorax because she misplaced her saliva on the chest B was transferred to a general hospital in Chungcheongbuk-do for treatment, but died
The court said, “The defendant’s responsibility is very heavy because the victim who was undergoing acupuncture died,” but added, “We decided on the sentence in consideration of the fact that the defendant admitted the crime and did not want to punish the defendant by agreeing smoothly with the bereaved family, and had no history of criminal punishment exceeding the fine.”
The prosecutor appealed for improper sentencing in the first trial, but the appellate court saw the judgment of the lower court as correct
The appeals court explained, “Considering the fact that the defendant does not want to punish the defendant by agreeing smoothly with the bereaved families, the sentence of the lower court is light and does not appear to be unfair.”