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Man receives suspended sentence for attempted molestation of high school girl

Published: 24 Oct. 2025, 14:08

The Busan District Court's western branch in Gangseo District, Busan is seen in this 2020 file photo. [YONHAP]

A man in his 30s who followed a high school girl home in broad daylight and tried to molest her in a residential area "on sexual impulse" was handed a suspended prison sentence on Friday.

The Busan District Court’s western branch's criminal division sentenced the man to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, on charges of attempted abduction and molestation and causing injury.

The court also ordered 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program, three years of probation and a three-year ban on employment at institutions involving children, teenagers or people with disabilities. The man is prohibited from contacting or approaching the victim or her family during the probation period.

According to the court, the man approached the victim, a high school student, around 4:05 p.m. on July 1 in a residential neighborhood in Saha District, Busan, and grabbed her arms from behind in an attempt to molest her.

The victim screamed, resisted and managed to escape, but suffered injuries to her waist and back that required three weeks of medical treatment.

During police questioning, the man said he “felt a sexual urge after seeing the student in her school uniform” and tried to molest her.

The man’s defense attorney argued that he had not planned the crime in advance, saying the man "acted impulsively because he was upset after learning that his girlfriend had gone on a date with a younger man."

The court said the man had “acted on a sexual impulse after seeing the victim in her school uniform” and noted that the victim suffered significant shame and psychological distress.

However, the court took into account that the man reached a settlement with the victim, who did not wish to see him punished, that the man and his family had moved to avoid contact with the victim and that he had no prior record of sex offenses.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]