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Three teenagers sent to prison for assaulting and extorting 6 million won from classmate

Published: 28 Jan. 2026, 15:38 Updated: 28 Jan. 2026, 17:55

The Gongju branch of the Daejeon District Court in Gongju, South Chungcheong, is pictured in this undated file photo. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A court on Wednesday sentenced three teenagers to prison for repeatedly assaulting a classmate over several years and extorting more than 6 million won ($4,220) by threatening to distribute footage filmed illegally.

The Daejeon District Court’s Gongju branch found that the three defendants, all former middle school classmates in South Chungcheong, subjected the victim to prolonged group assaults and intimidation from October 2022 through August last year.

According to the ruling, the teenagers bound the victim’s wrists and ankles with tape, threatened the victim with a weapon and forcibly shaved the victim’s hair using electric clippers. They also illegally filmed the victim's body and used the footage to intimidate them.

One of the perpetrators repeatedly referred to the victim as a “slave,” “bread shuttle” and “ATM,” the court said. He demanded money while pretending he would distribute nude images of the victim and extorted a total of about 6 million won over roughly 160 occasions.

The three teenagers and a fourth defendant later enrolled at a high school in Cheongyang County, where they were expelled in July last year after the case came to light.

Members from the Blue Tree Foundation campaign for school violence awareness in front of the foundation's offices in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on July 24, 2024. [YONHAP]

The court sentenced the main defendant to an indeterminate prison term ranging from one year and six months to three years on charges including joint assault, aggravated assault and violating Korea’s sexual violence law related to illegal filming and threats using recorded images.

Two other defendants received indeterminate sentences of one year to one year and six months for joint assault and aggravated assault.

The court also ordered the three to disclose their personal information, complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment and refrain for five years from working at institutions involving children, adolescents or people with disabilities.

Under Korea’s Juvenile Act, courts may impose indeterminate sentences on offenders under the age of 19, setting minimum and maximum prison terms rather than fixed sentences.

A fourth defendant was transferred to the juvenile division of the Daejeon Family Court after the court cited his relatively limited involvement and the victim’s request not to pursue punishment.

“All of the defendants are first-time offenders who committed the crimes in a socially and emotionally immature state,” the court said. “However, they harassed a classmate over several years beginning in middle school, and the nature of the crimes is extremely serious.”

“The victim is receiving psychiatric treatment for feelings of helplessness, humiliation and fear caused by the prolonged abuse, and this is expected to create difficulties in forming healthy values and identity during future development,” it added.

The court said it considered the victim’s request for severe punishment and the defendants’ lack of remorse during the investigation and trial.

“To grow into responsible members of society, the defendants must show genuine reflection, which begins with accepting punishment commensurate with their guilt,” the court said.

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 JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]