From Next Year, Civil Authorities Will Investigate and Adjudicate Military Sexual Crimes

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Starting from July next year, if a military sexual crime occurs, the investigation and trial will be conducted by civilian investigative agencies and courts from the outset.

On the 31st, the National Assembly passed the amendment to the Military Court Act with 135 votes in favor, 63 against, and 29 abstentions out of 227 members present.

The amendment to the Military Court Act stipulates that crimes related to offenses and military personnel deaths, as well as crimes committed before enlistment, will be under the jurisdiction of ordinary courts from the first trial stage. The amendment also abolishes the High Military Court, making all appeals of peacetime military court cases subject to civilian high courts.

Additionally, the ordinary military courts that were established under the Ministry of National Defense and units of general officer rank or higher have been integrated and reorganized into five military courts under the Ministry of National Defense. The existing system of jurisdiction officers and adjudicators, which operated in both peacetime and wartime, has been revised to operate only during wartime, among other related system adjustments.

This law was proposed in the 21st National Assembly last July but was not processed until discussions resumed following the death of Air Force Staff Sergeant Lee on May 5, and it passed the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 24th.

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