Olympic Silver Medalist Wang Gichun Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Sexual Assault of Minor Student

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Olympic judo silver medalist Wang Gichun, who was tried for sexually assaulting a minor student, has been sentenced to six years in prison.

On the 29th, the Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Ahn Cheolsang) upheld the six-year prison sentence handed down by the lower court in Wang's appeal trial on charges including violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (rape, etc.). The court also maintained the lower court's order for Wang to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program and to be banned from employment at child and youth-related institutions for eight years.

Wang was prosecuted on charges of sexually assaulting victims who attended the gym he operated from 2017 until last year. It was revealed that Wang called the victims, who were 16 and 17 years old at the time, to his home and sexually assaulted them.

The first trial sentenced him to six years in prison, ordered completion of a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program, and imposed an eight-year employment restriction at child and youth-related institutions. The court stated, "As a teacher and adult, he had a legal duty to guide, protect, and supervise the minor victims, but instead abused his position to call the victims to his home and engage in sexual relations." The court also noted, "He consistently denied the crimes, showed no remorse, made false excuses to the victims' families, and even after being detained, pressured the victims through acquaintances to retract their statements and reach a settlement."

In the second trial, Wang claimed, "The victims registered at the judo gym for hobbies and health reasons, not for college entrance preparation." However, the appellate court stated, "The victims consistently testified from the investigation stage to the courtroom that they attended the judo gym to prepare for college entrance," and added, "It can be sufficiently recognized that the defendant used his power to suppress the victims' sexual autonomy and sexually assaulted them."

The Supreme Court also agreed with the lower courts' judgments.

Meanwhile, Wang, who won a silver medal in judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been permanently expelled from the Korea Judo Association due to this case. With the conviction finalized by the Supreme Court, Wang will also be ineligible to receive a pension under the Sports Welfare Business Regulations.

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