Judge deals stern term for train assault

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Judge deals stern term for train assault

In a sign of a stronger attitude towards sexual harassment, a Seoul judge sentenced a man convicted of fondling a female passenger on the subway to a six-month jail term.
“The convicted deliberately committed the crime in public, but pretended as if it was an accident,” said Kim Yeong-gyu, a Seoul Southern District Court judge. “The nature of the offense is quite terrible.”
Although prosecutors sought a 10-month term, the sentence is far harsher compared to others who have been found guilty of sexual assault while using the public transportation system. Most offenders have been given suspended sentences or fines.
“Sexual offenders on the subway usually take advantage of the fact that victims tend not to call the police out of shame,” the judge said. “More effective punishments, which will eliminate that kind of crime, are in urgent need.”
The man, identified only as Kim, fondled a 23-year old woman last December while standing behind her in a subway train on the No. 2 line.
The judge said the sentence reflects the convict’s unremorseful attitude. “The imprisonment was an inevitable decision since the convicted does not seem to show any regret,” he said. “He didn’t even try to negotiate with the victim.”


by Lim Jang-hyuk
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