Prosecution Seeks Prison Sentences for Two Teens in Cheonghakdong Seodang's 'Bizarre Assault'... One More Instructor Arrested

The entrance of a Seodang in Cheonghak-dong, Hadong-gun, Gyeongnam, where a student assault incident occurred.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Teenagers who committed bizarre assaults on their peers at a Seohakdong Seodang were sentenced to prison.

On the 27th, at the first trial of A (17) and B (16) on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, held at the Jinju Branch of Changwon District Court Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Jeong Seong-ho), the prosecution demanded sentences ranging from 5 years to 7 years, and 5 years to 6 years, respectively.

Article 60 (Indeterminate Sentences) Paragraph 1 of the Juvenile Act states, "If a juvenile commits a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 2 years, an indeterminate sentence with a maximum and minimum term shall be imposed. However, the maximum term shall not exceed 10 years, and the minimum term shall not exceed 5 years."

Paragraph 4 of the same article stipulates, "The head of the institution executing the indeterminate sentence for juveniles may terminate the execution of the sentence if the juvenile's behavior after the minimum term is good and the purpose of correction is achieved, under the direction of the competent prosecutor."

According to the prosecution's charges, since February last year, the two repeatedly assaulted and subjected C (17) to cruel acts in a male dormitory at a Seodang in Seohakdong, Hadong-gun, including inserting foreign objects into C's anus and forcing him to ingest and spray bodily fluids and urine.

On this day, A and B admitted all the charges and expressed remorse and repentance.

However, the victim C, who appeared in court, refuted their claims, stating that the accused showed no remorse at all.

C stated that after the incident became known, A's father called his father and questioned, "How should these children live from now on?" and that after two weeks, there was no further contact.

Since both A and B admitted the charges, sentencing was immediately requested, and a sentencing date was set.

The sentencing trial for the two is scheduled to be held on July 8 at the Jinju Branch of Changwon District Court.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Women and Juvenile Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency arrested a Seodang instructor in Hadong, Gyeongnam, on charges of habitual abuse under the Child Welfare Act.

A few days ago, another Seodang instructor in Hadong was also arrested on charges of repeatedly punishing and assaulting Seodang students.

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