HAGATNA, Guam -- A Korean Air passenger who pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew after he was accused of fighting with a flight attendant who refused to serve him more beer may withdraw the plea and face trial.
Kwon Woo Sung previously signed a plea deal that called for a one-month prison sentence with credit for time already served following the alleged incident on the April flight from Seoul to Guam.
But a judge on Tuesday said she plans to give him a stiffer sentence, which prompted Kwon's attorney to request more time to discuss whether to accept it or withdraw the plea, The Pacific Daily News reported.
Kwon is accused of starting a fight with the flight attendant who refused to serve him another beer. Other passengers struggled with Kwon to subdue him and tie him up inside the plane, court documents said.
In handing down a stiffer penalty Tuesday, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood cited passenger interviews and a video of the incident played in court. On the video, a man can be heard swearing and threatening to kill the flight attendant's family.
"It's quite disturbing to me," Tydingco-Gatewood said.
Kwon, 41, suffers from anxiety, depression and poor impulse control and had been going through a crisis, his lawyers said.
A court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16 to discuss Kwon's punishment, court records said.
