Student handed suspended prison term for throwing snowball at classmate, who fell and became paralyzed
Published: 16 Feb. 2026, 16:55
Updated: 16 Feb. 2026, 18:28
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Seoul High Court [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/16/b05295d6-6e65-47f7-a838-3c5c914c4c00.jpg)
Seoul High Court [YONHAP]
An appellate court handed a suspended prison sentence to a student who threw a snowball at a classmate, causing him to fall over a railing and suffer partial paralysis, according to sources in the judiciary on Monday.
The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court ruling that had fined the defendant 5 million won ($3,700) for negligent infliction of bodily injury.
The appellate court instead sentenced him to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, after finding him guilty of the more serious charge of assault resulting in bodily injury.
Prosecutors said the defendant threw a compacted snowball at his classmate in February 2024 while the pair were at an elevated parking lot.
According to the investigation, the classmate tried to block the snowball with an umbrella and stepped backward, tripping over a railing and falling about three meters (10 feet). He suffered severe injuries and was left partially paralyzed, losing the ability to move both legs.
A trial court declined to convict the defendant of committing assault causing bodily injury, ruling that he threw the snowball as a prank and lacked intent to commit assault.
In its ruling, however, the appellate court said throwing a densely packed snowball constitutes an unlawful use of force and therefore qualifies as assault.
While the appellate court also recognized a causal link between the defendant’s act and the victim’s injuries, it said it was difficult to reach a conclusion based on whether the defendant could have foreseen the manner of his classmate's fall.
The presiding judge noted that the victim's injuries were serious and likely permanent and that the victim and his family have not forgiven the defendant.
Both prosecutors and the defendant have appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JAN GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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