Korean Woman Criminally Charged For Spiking A Student’s Coffee With Laxatives

In a bizarre turn of events, a Korean woman in her 20s was fined for spiking a complete stranger’s drink with laxatives last year.

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The incident took place on August 30, 2022, in the Gangnam area in Seoul. The woman slipped laxatives into a 19-year-old student’s drink, and as a result, the victim developed enteritis. The emotional toll of the incident was also heavy for him. The student was preparing for the national college entrance exam at the time and claimed that the repercussions of this incident affected his performance in the exam.

The incident happened just two months before South Korea’s state-administered college entrance exam. The suspect and the victim reportedly had no prior acquaintance. The incident happened in a study room. While the victim was away from his seat, the accused reportedly saw his unattended beverage and slipped in the laxatives.

Korean students preparing for the national college entrance exam | CNN

She was charged with property damage offenses and assault. According to reports on August 16, the prosecution fined her ₩2.00 million KRW (about $1,490 USD). But the alleged perpetrator reportedly filed for a formal trial against the prosecution’s decision. She also pleaded for mercy in court, stating that she has been doing volunteer work at a church out of remorse for her actions.

Explaining the verdict, the Seoul Northern District Court stated, “Deliberately (adding) laxatives to the coffee of another student with whom she has no prior acquaintance amounts to a random crime.”

The court also added that the perpetrator had offered ₩2.00 million KRW (about $1,490 USD) to the victim as compensation. They took this fact and her confession into account in determining her punishment.