Woman fined $1,400 for using backscratcher to bang on ceiling over noise complaints

A 50-year-old woman in Chuncheon has been ordered to pay a fine of 2 million won (approximately $1,400 USD) and complete a 40-hour stalking treatment program. She was found guilty of stalking her upstairs neighbors by repeatedly banging on their ceiling with a backscratcher and contacting them via intercom over noise complaints.

The woman, identified as Ms. A, was accused of stalking Ms. B (42), who moved into the apartment above her in December 2024. Ms. A had been requesting Ms. B to be mindful of noise since January of the same year. When the issue remained unresolved, Ms. A resorted to repeatedly calling Ms. B directly via intercom to protest the noise.

Ms. B had requested Ms. A in February to use the building management office for noise complaints instead of direct intercom calls. However, Ms. A continued to bang on the ceiling with a backscratcher and make direct intercom calls to express her grievances. In total, Ms. A engaged in such actions nine times between March 17 and May 11 of the previous year.

During the trial, Ms. A argued that her actions were within a socially acceptable range for resolving noise disputes and that she lacked the intent to stalk. However, the court rejected her defense. The court stated that after the building management declared they would not intervene in noise disputes, Ms. A should have pursued other resolution methods, such as the "Neighbor Noise Dispute Resolution Center" or civil litigation.

The court concluded that Ms. A's actions could not be considered reasonable or justified within social norms. Considering the circumstances, methods, and frequency of her protests, the court found that her behavior was objectively sufficient to cause anxiety and fear in the other party. The ruling underscores the importance of using appropriate channels for dispute resolution and the legal consequences of actions that cause distress to others.