Smoke a joint, in debt? JAIL! Kill your kids, relax,no problem.

"From time to time, there are hospital patients who get charged with theft of services for attempting to flee without paying for their treatment. In many cases, they evaded payment because they simply didn't have the money to cover the medical fees. When cases like these go to court, those still unable to pay compensation and fines are commonly sentenced to prison terms instead."

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2022/08/251_333862.html

"One in 3 parents who murdered or attempted to kill their own children since 2020 were given suspended prison sentences, while all parent killers sentenced during the same period were handed jail terms, local media reported Friday."

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220805000447

"Whether it’s marijuana or methamphetamines, Korea’s justice system is particularly strict on drugs compared to most other developed nations. "

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/11/04/culture/features/marijuana-korea-weed-in-korea-cannabis-in-korea/20211104172353543.html

Over the years, the three Korean friends who were married with kids worried more about their mothers than their own children. It's the opposite of back home. It stems from a culturally different emphasis on one's elders. If given a Sophie's choice between saving the life of a parent or a child, I'd bet a much, much higher percentage of Koreans would choose the parent; those who chose the child would admit it would be a hard decision. Americans, in contrast, would say: What are you talking about? OF COURSE you save your son or daughter!

So, in this country, killing a parent? *gasp* *unthinkable* Go directly to jail. Kill your own child? Well, the circumstances have to be taken into consideration.

And a hard line against drugs is about preserving the social order, and legal punishment is often about deterrence. I a from Vancouver, a sad city these days. I can understand the desire to keep drugs out of the country. I have never seen, heard or smelled drugs in 20 years here, unlikely daily downtown back home.

What i don't understand is punishing Koreans for acts they committed in other countries. Sweden and some other countries do so, too. Is it the fear they will import drugs? seek out the few drug pushers here and support the growth of the underground practice? Or to preserve the practices locally: you are supposed to get drunk on soju, beer and rice wine. The gov't doesn't put high taxes on alcohol, keeping the price much lower than in most countries.

 Kill your own child? Well, the circumstances have to be taken into consideration.

WHAT?

Ji-min got a B on his math test...  f*ck around and find out.  ya dead, son. totally understandable, plus also factoring in that the murderous parent was intoxicated at the time and your destined to be free of all charges

SPQR.
Please read the comments in context.
They ain't my opinion.
IT'S THE STANDARD DEFENSE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO JUSTIFY WHY 1 IN 3 KOREANS WHO KILL OR TRY TO KILL THEIR OWN CHILDREN DON'T HAVE TO GO JAIL, EVEN THOUGH FOUND GUILTY (a suspended sentence).

It is outrageous, i personally think. Look at the context of the quote to understand the point of it. The reasoning explains but by no means justifies the court decisions. I talked about my Korean friends' attention to their mothers not their own sons or daughters. I talked about the Sophie's choice that Americans would find absurd. (I come more from the cultural ethos of Americans than Koreans - to Venn diagram it, the overlap would be huge with Americans for us Canadians and my family in particular but much smaller, though still there in some ways, with Korean culture). A nuanced stance should be somewhat appreciated on a website where most of us have a university degree as visa req'd.

Moral outrage has already been expressed, so it's an attempt to understand (not accept) the 1 in 3 people who might escape prison here for a heinous crime.

Why does it appear that killing your parent is punished so much more harshly than killing your child???? There should be no difference, or the most jail time the other way. But after 20 years here, certain local cultural values, and personal experiences with Korean friends, suggests why the stats are as they are, however much they suck big time.

I'm one of the last people on this green earth to be sympathetic to the killing of a son or daughter. Remember that couple who left their infant to starve to death while they partied elsewhere for days? They should have rot in jail rather than be released after months. (Though 10-15 years at least would have sufficed imo, but months? No way. Get addiction and mental health treatment behind bars.)

I am anti-incarceration for drug-related crimes but draw the line at violence against individuals. As a newspaper reporter, i saw a 22 year old sentenced to 11 years in jail for stealing a sweater! A friggin' sweater! Why? Yeah, he had a history of theft and was undeterred, but give him a much shorter sentence, or at least a conditional release after 1 year: assign him a social worker, give him job training, mandate counselling. Geez. The "justice" system back home is as screwed up as the one here.

You got me started...

SPQR.
Please read the comments in context.
They ain't my opinion.
IT'S THE STANDARD DEFENSE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO JUSTIFY WHY 1 IN 3 KOREANS WHO KILL OR TRY TO KILL THEIR OWN CHILDREN DON'T HAVE TO GO JAIL, EVEN THOUGH FOUND GUILTY (a suspended sentence).

It is outrageous, i personally think. Look at the context of the quote to understand the point of it. The reasoning explains but by no means justifies the court decisions. I talked about my Korean friends' attention to their mothers not their own sons or daughters. I talked about the Sophie's choice that Americans would find absurd. (I come more from the cultural ethos of Americans than Koreans - to Venn diagram it, the overlap would be huge with Americans for us Canadians and my family in particular but much smaller, though still there in some ways, with Korean culture). A nuanced stance should be somewhat appreciated on a website where most of us have a university degree as visa req'd.

Moral outrage has already been expressed, so an attempt to understand (not accept) the 1 in 3 people who might escape prison here for a heinous crime.

Why does it appear that killing your parent is punished so much more harshly than killing your child???? There should be no difference, or the most jail time the other way. But after 20 years here, certain cultural values and personal experiences with whom Korean friends seem to pay attention to the most, suggests why the stats are as they are, however much they suck.

I'm one of the last people on this green earth to be sympathetic to the killing of a son or daughter. Remember that couple who left their infant to starve to death while they partied elsewhere for days? They should have rot in jail rather than be released after months. (Though 10-15 years at least would have sufficed imo, but months? No way. Get addiction and mental health treatment behind bars.)

I am anti-incarceration for drug-related crimes but draw the line at violence against individuals. As a newspaper reporter, i saw a 22 year old sentenced to 11 years in jail for stealing a sweater! A friggin' sweater! Why? Yeah, he had a history of theft and was undeterred, but give him a much shorter sentence, or at least a conditional release after 1 year: assign him a social worker, give him job training, mandate counselling. Geez. The "justice" system back home is as screwed up as the one here.

You got me started...

Hey man, I just said what. You should chill.

SPQR, there is nothing chill about your huge (XXXL size), bolded, color red, all caps: "What?"

And I replied with my exact thoughts on the matter. I took 10 minutes out of my day. Now that you understand what: Have a good weekend.

SPQR, there is nothing chill about your huge (XXXL size), bolded, color red, all caps: "What?"

And I replied with my exact thoughts on the matter. I took 10 minutes out of my day. Now that you understand what: Have a good weekend.

OK, dude. This highly offensive post of mine has been amended.

BTW, why can't I see people's avatars anymore?

SPQR, there is nothing chill about your huge (XXXL size), bolded, color red, all caps: "What?"

And I replied with my exact thoughts on the matter. I took 10 minutes out of my day. Now that you understand what: Have a good weekend.

And a certain Bud Light afficanado posted for weeks in large colored fonts. Where were you then, Mod?

And a hard line against drugs is about preserving the social order, and legal punishment is often about deterrence. I a from Vancouver, a sad city these days. I can understand the desire to keep drugs out of the country. I have never seen, heard or smelled drugs in 20 years here, unlikely daily downtown back home.

The disgusting mess that is the west coast of North America has nothing to do with drugs. It is the
failure to enact and enforce vagrancy laws. The scum that camp, piss, shit and shoot up on the
sidewalks should be hosed off and relocated. If they come back they should be arrested
and put into boot camps, like Texas. It's their choice. As for drugs, cigarettes and booze are
drugs, but those are OK? Bullshit. It is a meaningless and arbitrary law.

It's also just too expensive to help them, especially in California. The governments can't build affordable housing without every petty bureaucrat lining his/her pockets.

The disgusting mess that is the west coast of North America has nothing to do with drugs. It is the
failure to enact and enforce vagrancy laws. The scum that camp, piss, shit and shoot up on the
sidewalks should be hosed off and relocated. If they come back they should be arrested
and put into boot camps, like Texas. It's their choice. As for drugs, cigarettes and booze are
drugs, but those are OK? Bullshit. It is a meaningless and arbitrary law.

What?

Are you saying people choose to be homeless?

What?

Are you saying people choose to be homeless?

Yes, they do. The city puts them in shelters. They leave to get high.

What?

Are you saying people choose to be homeless?

Add a few ??? marks. ;)

He does need to watch this: https://youtu.be/L4qmDnYli2E

I was gonna get a home, but I got high...

Lots of people have problems, that doesn't entitle them to befoul the
center of a city that everyone shares. Scrape these filthy miscreants off
the sidewalk and ship them elsewhere. Give them welfare, a transit
pass and one of those mini houses. Then they have no excuse but to
act like a human being.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/06/1077791467/tiny-homes-big-dreams-how-some-activists-are-reimagining-shelter-for-the-homeles

I think minihomes are a great solution. Unfortunately the politicians in California can't build one for under a quarter million.

I think minihomes are a great solution. Unfortunately the politicians in California can't build one for under a quarter million.

I don't understand that. North America has huge areas of state, federal and crown lands.
Building a small house should not be that expensive. I have nothing against people in
need, but I have seen firsthand the the kind of people that make a point to be visible,
a nuisance, criminal and hangout in downtown areas. There are lots of needy people
you don't see and who don't feel entitled to destroy neighborhoods and businesses.

TIL that addiction is a choice.

TIL that destroying business and neighborhoods is a right.