4-month prison term sought for cat abuser

By Kang Shin-who

Prosecutors have demanded a four-month prison term for a young woman who savagely assaulted her neighbor’s cat in June.

The woman, identified only by her family name Chae, caused a huge stir on the Internet at the time as a video clip that showed her brutally kicking and stepping on the Persian cat spread like wildfire in cyberspace.

During the first trial held on Friday, the prosecution said, “Considering she brutally killed her neighbor’s cat, it is not a case to be treated lightly,” the prosecution said.

The 25-year-old, better known on the Internet as the “cat assaulter,” is also suspected of having thrown the cat to its death from the 10th floor of the officetel building where she resides in southern Seoul.

In response, the lawyer of the indicted woman asked that she be given a lenient sentence, stressing that she was drunk and unable to control herself at the time. Her lawyer added that the woman was very sorry for what she did.

An animal rights group along with the cat owner filed a complaint with the police and she was indicted without physical detention for violating the Animal Protection Law.

After the incident, Chae apologized to the cat’s owner, identified as Park, but after he rejected the apology, she punched Park in the face, adding an assault charge to the case.

Under the current law, those who mistreat animals face fines of up to 5 million won ($4,240). If the court finds her guilty of private property destruction, she could face a maximum sentence of one year in prison or a fine of 10 million won.

'고양이 폭행녀' 징역 4월 구형

서울중앙지검 형사1부는 이웃 주민이 기르던 애완 고양이를 때리고 오피스텔 10층 창밖으로 던져 죽인 혐의로 기소된 '고양이 폭행녀' 채모(24.여)씨에게 징역 4월을 구형했다고 4일 밝혔다.

검찰은 3일 서울중앙지법 형사11단독 노진영 판사의 심리로 열린 첫 공판에서 "이웃의 애완 고양이를 잔인하게 죽인 점을 고려할 때 가볍게 처벌할 사안이 아니다"며 채씨에게 실형을 구형했다.

이에 대해 채씨의 변호인은 "공소사실을 모두 인정한다"면서도 "술을 마시고 자신을 억제하지 못해 일어난 일이고, 현재 깊이 반성하고 있는 점을 참작해달라"고 선처를 호소했다.

채씨는 지난 6월15일 오전 4시15분께 술에 취해 10층에 있는 자신의 오피스텔에서 이웃 박모씨의 페르시안 친칠라종 고양이(시가 150만원 상당)를 발로 차고 창밖으로 내던져 죽인 혐의로 불구속 기소됐다.

사건이 발생하자 동물사랑실천협회는 채씨의 고양이 학대 장면이 찍힌 CCTV 영상을 협회 홈페이지에 올렸고, 이 동영상이 '고양이 폭행녀'라는 제목으로 인터넷에 퍼지면서 누리꾼의 공분을 샀다.