Choi Bo Min Wins Lawsuit After Face Hit by Golf Club and Receives Compensation of Tens of Millions of Won

In October 2024, the 8th Civil Division of the Western District Court of Seoul ruled that the golf course operator, referred to as 'B,' and the individual who swung the golf club, referred to as 'A,' were responsible for the incident. The court ordered 'B' to pay approximately 12 million KRW (around Rp 136 million) to Choi Bo Min, with 10.6 million KRW (around Rp 120 million) to be shared with 'A.' This decision has been final.

An accident occurred in September 2022 at a golf course in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. At that time, Choi Bo Min was using a kiosk in his booth when 'A,' who was in the adjacent booth, hit his face with a golf club while swinging. As a result, Choi Bo Min suffered a complex fracture of the cheekbone and had to stop all his activities.

The judge stated that the golf course operator has an obligation to provide safe facilities. Although the distance between booths was in accordance with regulations, which is 2.5 meters, the facility was not equipped with adequate partitions or safety measures. Consequently, the risk of injury remained high as users could step into hazardous areas.

Furthermore, the judge found that 'A' was also at fault for being careless. Previously, 'A' had hit someone else's hat while practicing, indicating that he was aware of the risks involved. In this incident, 'A' swung from a position further back, thus the risk of hitting someone in the adjacent booth was quite significant and should have been avoidable.

However, the judge also found that Choi Bo Min had some responsibility for not taking preventive measures. Although he was in a risky location, the court assessed that he should have been more aware of his surroundings. As a result, 'A's' responsibility was limited to 30%.

The court awarded compensation of about 2 million KRW (approximately Rp 22.7 million) for medical expenses and 10 million KRW (approximately Rp 113.6 million) as compensation for emotional distress. However, the claim for lost income of 35 million KRW (approximately Rp 397.7 million) was rejected due to a lack of evidence that the loss was directly related to the accident.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of safe sports facilities and users' vigilance regarding the risks around them. KLovers, always be careful wherever you are, if you don't take care of yourself now, when will you?