Teacher sought in sexual assault of two sisters

A 36-year-old private teacher is being accused of raping two underage sisters for a period of about a year at a child care center in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, police said.

The center cares for children of low-income families and provides free lunches and after-school classes.

Police say the sisters’ father, who works late and has remarried a handicapped woman, handed over care of his two daughters to the suspect, who is a friend of his stepson.

The two sisters came to the center in March 2008. The elder one, 13, had been with the suspect until May 2009 and the younger 12-year-old was with the suspect until September 2009.

“I trusted him when I placed them there,” the father said. “But now I feel the world is collapsing after I heard the terrible news.”

Police say the suspect threatened the two girls, saying he would kill them if they talked to their parents.

The truth was revealed, police said, when the girls’ aunt requested counseling for the girls at a local welfare center called “One Stop Center.”

The suspect fled when they started an investigation, the police said.

They are still looking for the suspect.

An official at the center where the suspect was working said, “He was fired in April this year for negligent work. We will do our best for the two victimized girls because we feel responsible for mismanaging the unqualified teacher.”

According to the police, they are now investigating possible additional crimes by the suspect, who had worked at the center for about one year.

By Choi Mo-ran [heejin@joongang.co.kr]