Appellate court sentences 5 men to prison for sexually abusing minors

The Seoul High Court handed down prison sentences on Wednesday to five men who committed sexual offenses against underage students. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Five men in their 30s who paid elementary school students for sex were sentenced to several years in prison by the Seoul High Court on Wednesday.

The appellate court overturned a lower court's ruling that handed down suspended sentences to the five adults, imposing heavier punishment.

One 32-year-old man indicted on a charge of sexually assaulting a minor in violation of the Juvenile Protection Act was initially sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for four years. Wednesday's ruling imposed a four-year prison term.

The court also ordered the other four men to be jailed for one to three years with no suspensions.

Upon the court’s ruling on Wednesday, the convicted were taken into custody.

The five adults were accused of committing statutory rape against minors and violating the Juvenile Protection Act by luring them into sex trafficking. They used social media to search for underage students, including two sixth graders, to prey on and sexually assault.

The convicted five included a public official who was dismissed after being caught.

The High Court found that the offenders seriously violated the victims' right to be protected.

The perpetrators' actions of sexual harassment, abuse and solicitation are “malicious and should be condemned,” the judge said, adding that their actions “damaged society by harming the rights of children and underage individuals.” The judge also pointed out the internet has become “a place for sexual exploitation.”

Another person in his 20s, charged with coercing victims into sex trafficking, received a yearlong prison sentence with a two-year suspension. The ruling on Wednesday imposed a heavier punishment than the first, which was a fine of 10 million won ($7,243).

Prior to the trial, the prosecution also requested that the court sentence the 32-year-old offender to 20 years in prison. They also sought prison terms between 10 and 15 years for the other offenders.

The prosecution said the case should be considered “human rights abuse, not just a sexual crime as the victims are children aged under 13.”

The parents of the victims demanded that the court hand down the harshest penalties possible, saying none of the perpetrators had apologized to the victims, and instead have been pleading to the court for lighter punishments.

BY CHO MOON-KYU [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]