Korea tycoon jailed for assault

South Korea’s ninth richest man jailed over gangland-style assault on bar staff.

korea tycoon
Kim Seung-youn is said to be the ninth richest man in South Korea [EPA]

“I ordered my bodyguards to take over because I got tired of beating them myself,” Kim said during the trial.

 

“I ordered my bodyguards to take over because I got tired of beating them myself”

Kim Seung-youn

Kim apparently punched and kicked the bar workers, beat them with a metal pipe and used a stun gun – although none of the victims was seriously injured.

 

Appearing in court shortly after his arrest in May, Kim acknowledged he lost self-control and called himself a “silly father”.

 

He said he regretted that he “failed to control impulsive emotion” and apologised for causing trouble

 

Prosecutors in the Seoul district court had sought a two-year prison sentence.

 

According to South Korean media Kim is the country’s ninth richest man with a fortune of almost $1bn.

 

His Hanwha group was established in 1952 as the Korea Explosives Corp.

 

It later developed interests in petrochemicals, finance, insurance, construction and retail.

 

It also owns the Hanwha Eagles professional baseball team.

Source: News Agencies