A man in his 40s who received a heavy sentence for attacking a convenience store owner with a weapon and fleeing with stolen property has appealed his first‑instance conviction.
According to legal sources on the 10th, A (48) — who a trial court sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of robbery with injury and unlawful confinement — filed an appeal today, arguing that the sentence was excessive.
Prosecutors say A attacked the store owner, a woman in her 50s identified as B, around 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 9 at a convenience store inside a guesthouse in Sowon‑myeon, Taean. They say he then stole 300,000 KRW (about $225) in cash and B’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) before fleeing.
Investigators also allege A covered B’s mouth, bound her wrists and legs with clear packing tape, and held her for about 15 minutes before leaving.
A passerby found B crawling out of the store after A fled and called the police. B was taken to a hospital and, officials said, did not suffer life‑threatening injuries.
Police reviewing closed‑circuit television footage traced A’s movements and location and, after a stakeout, arrested him in Incheon at about 11 a.m. the next day — roughly 55 hours after the incident.
Investigators believe A abandoned the stolen vehicle while fleeing.
The probe found that A decided to commit the crime because of financial hardship and had scouted a target in advance; he admitted all charges at the first trial.
In his final argument, A’s lawyer asked for leniency, saying, “He did not preplan the specific target or tools. He had been under severe psychological strain after a business failure, and the act was impulsive,” and urged the court to take those factors into account.
The court, however, noted that the victim’s phone number was saved on the defendant’s phone and that online searches indicated he had prepared tools in advance, suggesting planning. The court also cited the victim’s serious injuries, ongoing psychological distress, and the victim’s family’s request for a strict sentence as reasons for the punishment.
