A local court has sentened a man to 10 months in prison for assaulting a bus driver who had demanded he wear a mask.

The Seoul Northern District Court handed down the ruling on the 61-year-old man on Friday, convicting him of assaulting a person behind the wheel.

The court also cited the man's criminal record for assault.

According to court documents, on August 14, the man boarded a bus in central Seoul and shouted at the driver and cursed at other passengers after he was reminded about the mandatory mask rule on public transportation.

After the driver called the police, the man attacked the driver, pulled his hair and made threatening gestures.

He also scratched and grabbed a police officer who arrived on the scene and bit an officer's hand when taken to a police station for questioning.

South Korea began mandating the wearing of face masks on all public transporation last week, with violators to face a fine of 100,000 won.

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