This photo shows the car that dashed into a convenience store on Saturday in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. - A photo from a post on Bobaedream via The Korea Herald/ANN
SEOUL, Jan 17 (The Korea Herald/ANN): A man rammed his car into a convenience store in South Korea after an earlier request to have a plastic bag for his purchase was rejected by the store owner, police said on Monday night (Jan 16).
The unnamed driver was arrested by police at the scene in the southern region of South Korea. Police are seeking charges of special destruction of private property and retaliatory crime.
Around 10.30pm on Saturday, the driver slammed the car into the store in Geoje, South Gyeongsang province, damaging some items there. The man then rushed into the store and assaulted the owner.
The driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol. No casualties were reported as a result of the accident.
Police saw this as a retaliatory crime, as the driver had earlier been accused of physically harming the owner in late November.
At that time, the man had asked the owner for a plastic bag when buying ice cream. The owner refused the request, abiding by a ban on single-use plastic bags by the Ministry of Environment.
Enraged, the man spat on the store owner.
The owner’s family later filed a complaint with the police. The owner rejected the accused’s request to settle the matter privately, and proceeded to open a case against him instead.
South Korea’s single-use plastic bag ban has been in effect since Nov 24 at retail stores to address growing plastic consumption, with a one-year grace period.
Once the rule becomes fully enforced, convenience stores will not be allowed to sell plastic bags. The same rule will apply to plastic cups, straws and plastic covers for umbrellas.
Police are seeking additional charges against the accused as further investigation is underway.
Under South Korean law, a retaliatory crime is subject to a jail term of at least 10 years. Special destruction, defined as destruction through a special means of threat, is punishable by jail for a maximum of five years, or by a fine of up to 10 million won (S$10,669).
- The Korea Herald/ANN
