Only 16% of illegal debt collection offenders were sentenced to prison...38% maximum fine

Less than 20% of cases were sentenced to prison in the first trial for illegal debt collection.

According to the Supreme Court's judicial yearbook data, 13 out of 78 first trial rulings in violation of the Debt Collection Act last year were sentenced to prison terms, accounting for only 16.7%.

Fines were the most common at 38.5%, followed by suspended prison sentences at 23.1% and suspended fines at 6.4%.

Last year, five of the 50 first trial rulings were sentenced to prison and suspended prison sentences, which were only 10%, which was less than last year.

Under the Debt Collection Act, assaulting, threatening, or detaining debtors or related persons can result in up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.