Woman becomes lawyer after assaulting police

(Herald DB)

A 31-year-old woman, whose assault of a police officer had thwarted her initial dream of becoming a prosecutor, has become a lawyer, local media outlets reported Thursday.

The Korean Bar Association said it has accepted her application, as her previous criminal record from assaulting an officer is not in violation of the code of conduct for a lawyer. South Korea's Attorney-at-law Act stipulates that anyone who has received a suspended term for imprisonment without prison labor, or a more severe punishment, should not be allowed to become a lawyer.

The KBA regulation states that it can deny applications of those who had been accused of a crime during his or her tenure as a civil servant.

The lawyer in question was sentenced to a 3 million won ($2,300) fine for hitting a police officer's head in January of this year, reportedly saying, "Do you know who I am?" Although she was slated to be appointed a prosecutor at the time, the Ministry of Justice disqualified her by citing her conduct in the incident.

While her sentence had deprived of a chance to become a prosecutor, it was not severe enough to disqualify her from becoming a lawyer. Neither does it fall under the KBA's clause that allows it to reject former government workers with criminal records, as she had not been formally appointed yet.

South Korean law states that anyone who wishes to practice law as a lawyer in South Korea must be registered with the KBA, even after passing the bar exam. Those whose membership had been revoked by the KBA would not have their license revoked, but cannot practice law in the country until they are registered by the association.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)