A Man in His 50s Who Kissed a 12-Year-Old Girl on the Head and Shouted "I Love You" Receives Suspended Sentence

Court: "The kissed area is not a sexually sensitive part"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A man in his 50s who forcibly molested a 12-year-old girl on her way home was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

On the 27th, No Jae-ho, presiding judge of the Criminal Division 12 at Gwangju District Court, announced that A (56), who was charged with violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (forcible molestation), was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in prison with a 3-year suspension.

He was also ordered to undergo probation, attend 40 hours of sexual violence and alcohol treatment lectures, and was banned from employment at institutions related to children and adolescents for 3 years.

According to the prosecution, A was brought to trial on charges of following a 12-year-old girl in the hallway of an apartment in a region of Jeollanam-do at around 9:30 p.m. on December 2 last year, hugging her and kissing her on the head.

A saw the victim getting off the elevator and walking down the hallway, asked, "Are you good at studying?" and then approached the victim who had stopped, suddenly hugged her with both arms, and kissed her on the head. A said "I love you" to the fleeing victim.

The court said, "He molested a girl at a sensitive age and made the victim, who was frightened and ran home, feel terror by saying something that is hard to accept under the circumstances ('I love you'). The victim, who was forcibly molested unexpectedly in the hallway of her residence, which she considered relatively safe, must have felt great mental shock, fear, and discomfort."

It added, "The victim and her parents have not been able to shake off their anxiety because the defendant still lives in the same apartment. The defendant has not made sincere efforts to apologize, and the victim and her parents want a severe punishment for the defendant."

The court also stated, "However, considering comprehensively that the part kissed by the defendant was somewhat away from the most sexually sensitive area, that he has no prior record of similar crimes, that he admitted his wrongdoing and showed remorse, and that he expressed plans to move away from the victim's residence and submitted land purchase documents to reduce the possibility of contact with the victim."

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