"Anger Boils from the Bone" Message Left by Female Sergeant Who Died from Sexual Assault

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A memo written by the late Air Force Sergeant Lee Yeram, who suffered from continuous sexual harassment by her superior and secondary harm such as concealment and coercion before making an extreme choice, has been revealed.

According to MBC Newsdesk on the 17th, Sergeant Lee wrote in a memo the day after she was sexually harassed, "Just recalling that person's face is difficult."

She then blamed herself, saying, "If I were not a female soldier, would this have happened? If I were a man, could I have gotten along well as a senior or junior?"

She continued, "I feel anger rising from the depths of my bones about why I have to feel this guilt," and wrote, "All this criticism and blame belong to the perpetrator, so why am I feeling it so painfully?"

She also expressed fear, saying, "I am not prepared to hear people's critical words."

This memo was first revealed during the sentencing trial for the perpetrator, Sergeant Jang, held at the military court on the 17th.

Sergeant Jang, belonging to the Air Force 20th Fighter Wing, was brought to trial in early March on charges of forcibly sexually harassing Sergeant Lee, his junior. He is also accused of threatening self-harm by saying "I will die" to pressure Sergeant Lee into covering up his wrongdoing.

On that day, the Ministry of National Defense Military Court sentenced Sergeant Jang, who was indicted in custody on charges including forcible sexual assault causing injury and retaliatory threats under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to nine years in prison, which is less than the prosecution's requested sentence.

Previously, the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team had requested a 15-year prison sentence for Sergeant Jang at the sentencing hearing held on October 8.

The court stated, "Although the victim's death cannot be solely attributed to the defendant, the mental trauma caused by the sexual assault appears to have been a major cause of the extreme choice."

However, the court did not recognize the fact that Sergeant Jang sent text messages implying an extreme choice to Sergeant Lee as retaliatory threats under the special law.

The court said that these messages "seem to have been conveyed emphasizing an apology rather than expressions implying the defendant's extreme choice."

It added, "There was no indication of concern about the defendant's extreme choice in the victim's subsequent conversations or text messages with her senior or boyfriend."

The bereaved family strongly opposed this. They protested to the court, saying, "How can it not be considered a threat when the perpetrator says he will die?"

They also expressed outrage, saying, "We have had a trial for six months, and I think this outcome is unacceptable. What is nine years?" On that day, Sergeant Lee's mother fainted and was transported by ambulance.

The family's lawyer stated, "It is difficult to understand that the threat charge, which the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Review Committee already judged to be a crime and prosecuted, was acquitted, so the military prosecutor will appeal."

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