A Korean man in his 20s who attempted to murder a supermarket cashier after wrongly believing he had been insulted has been sentenced to seven years in prison… a decision that has triggered public backlash.
The incident occurred on May 26 last year in Hoengseong County. The 29-year-old man returned to a local supermarket with a weapon after mistakenly thinking the morning shift cashier had called him “crazy.” He then approached a 56-year-old woman who was taking over the afternoon shift and stabbed her 27 times in the face, neck, and head.
Despite the brutality of the attack, the victim survived after receiving emergency treatment. However, she continues to suffer from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, with doctors saying recovery is unlikely.
According to court documents, the perpetrator became enraged after believing he was disrespected by the cashier earlier in the day. He returned home, picked up a weapon, and went back to the store to carry out the attack. When he asked where the previous cashier was, the victim responded that she had gone to lunch, but the man misinterpreted it and immediately turned violent.
The Chuncheon Branch of the Seoul High Court upheld the original ruling this week, sentencing him to seven years in prison, five years of probation, and mandatory psychiatric treatment. The court acknowledged that A had a mental illness and no prior criminal history, which factored into the sentencing.
However, the ruling has been met with widespread criticism online.
고작 7년? 피해자는 회복 가능성 없는 후유증을 안고 살아야 하는데? https://t.co/3WJ5ypMsJU
— 분노가딜이되는걸보여주겠다🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@chimdae_dD) April 9, 2025
Just 7 years? The victim has to live with lasting trauma that may never heal.
— X (formerly known as Twitter) user
중형이 7년?!
27번 찔렀는데 7년?!!?!?! https://t.co/aZaxfL6NXM— 환타와바위 (@boricokeFanta) April 9, 2025
A “heavy sentence” is 7 years?! He stabbed someone 27 times and got 7 years?!!?!?!
— X (formerly known as Twitter) user
Today’s news: A man stabbed a female market cashier 27 times in the face, and he only got 7 years in prison.
He mistakenly thought the cashier had disrespected him.
Seriously, what a joke.Why do judges always hand down such light sentences? Are they empathizing with the… https://t.co/7FHrjyqZzu
— Translating misogyny in Korea (@translatingsk) April 9, 2025
Despite the court’s reasoning, many argue the sentence fails to reflect the severity of the crime, especially considering the long-term impact on the victim.