40-Year-Old Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of Teenage Girl Met Through 'Chat App'

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] A man in his 40s who sexually abused a teenage girl he met through a chat application multiple times has been sentenced to prison.

On the 6th, the Jeju District Court Criminal Division 4 (Presiding Judge Seo Geun-chan) announced that A (45), who was tried on charges including violation of the Child Welfare Act (forcing, mediating, and sexually harassing a child), was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

He was also ordered to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program and was banned from employment at child and youth-related institutions and welfare facilities for the disabled for 5 years each.

The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "The defendant denies some of his sexual crimes, but it appears that he used the teenage victim as a sexual plaything and committed sadistic and perverted acts multiple times. However, considering that he generally admitted his wrongdoing and reached a settlement with the victim’s side comprehensively."

A is known to have sexually abused B (15), whom he met through a smartphone chat application, on March 10, 2019, and met B again on March 23 of the same month to commit sadistic and perverted acts.

Previously, A had been sentenced to 1 year in prison on January 22, 2015, for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse (such as purchasing sex), but it was revealed that he committed this crime during the recidivism period after completing his sentence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.