Ex-national water polo player fined for groping subway passenger while drunk

A former national water polo player has been fined for sexually assaulting a passenger on a subway while intoxicated. The court found the defendant's conduct particularly troubling given a prior conviction for a similar offense.

Senior Judge Kim Ju-hyeon of the Chungju Branch of Cheongju District Court sentenced the defendant, identified only as A, to a fine of 5 million won ($3,680) on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes — specifically, groping in a crowded public place.

A, a former member of the national water polo team, is accused of pressing part of his body against a subway passenger and exposing his genitals to the victim while drunk in October last year.

A, who had a prior conviction for the same type of offense, admitted during trial that he had been intoxicated at the time.

"Despite having previously been fined for public indecency, he reoffended, which reflects poorly on the nature of the crime," Kim said in the ruling. "However, the court took into account that he reached a settlement with the victim and has no other criminal record."