Court upholds 8-year sentence for woman who attacked passengers with knife for calling her 'ajumma'

The woman, who was on the phone, was asked by one of the passengers to lower her voice. Upon being called an ajumma, the woman took out a sashimi knife that she had purchased earlier.

A woman being escorted by police at Jukjeon subway station in Gyeonggi on March 3 after stabbing three subway passengers with a sashimi knife. [YTN CAPTURE]

Seoul Central District Court on Thursday rejected an appeal filed by a woman sentenced to eight years in prison for severely injuring three subway passengers after being called an ajumma.

The court said it was upholding the initial verdict against the 38 year-old defendant, only identified as Kim, considering the gravity of the case.

It added that it found no grounds to overturn the prior decision.

The woman was handed an eight-year prison sentence for assaulting three passengers on a subway passing through Jukjeon Station in Gyeonggi with a sashimi knife on March 3.

The woman, who was on the phone, was asked by one of the passengers to lower her voice.

Upon being called an ajumma, the woman took out a sashimi knife that she had purchased earlier.

The woman attacked three people — two women in their 60s and a man in his 50s.

According to the police, for two days prior to the incident, the woman had bought two kitchen knives, a sashimi knife and a box cutter.

The term ajumma — which technically means “aunt” — is often used to address older women. Some regard it as unflattering.

In its initial statement, the court said that it chose to impose a prison sentence on the defendant as she committed the offense while already under a suspended sentence for a similar act of aggression.

Additionally, the court highlighted the defendant’s lack of remorse and the possibility that she could offend again based on the attitude she showed in court.

In May 2022, Incheon District Court sentenced the woman to eight months in prison but granted her one year of probation for an assault conviction.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]