'Sexual Harassment of Female Subordinate' Geumcheon-gu Office Officials Sentenced to Prison in First Trial

Two Sentenced to 3-5 Years Imprisonment Each for Special Rape Charges
Another Employee Acquitted on Charges of Aiding and Abetting

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Civil servants who were prosecuted for sexually harassing a female subordinate at a drinking party were sentenced to prison.

The Criminal Division 13 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Sang-joo) held a sentencing hearing at 2 p.m. on the 13th for Mr. A and Mr. B, who are charged with special quasi-forcible molestation under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, and Mr. C, who is charged with aiding and abetting special quasi-forcible molestation.

On this day, the court sentenced Mr. A and Mr. B to five years and three years in prison, respectively. In addition, they were ordered to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment programs and were banned from employment at child and youth-related institutions and welfare facilities for the disabled for three years.

The court stated the reason for the sentence, saying, "The defendants molested the victim, a workplace colleague, for a long time after she became heavily intoxicated, and the degree of the act was bold and not light. The victim suffered significant mental shock from being sexually harassed by a workplace colleague and is petitioning for severe punishment of the defendants."

Furthermore, the court acquitted Mr. C, who was indicted for aiding and abetting the crime, stating, "Based on the evidence submitted by the prosecution alone, it is difficult to conclude that the crime was proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

Earlier, at the sentencing hearing, the prosecution requested seven years and five years in prison for Mr. A and Mr. B, respectively, and three years for Mr. C.

Mr. A and Mr. B were prosecuted on charges of forcibly molesting a female subordinate who worked at the same district office from the night of May 17 to the early morning of May 18. Mr. C was additionally charged with aiding and abetting after it was confirmed during the police investigation that he was present at the scene of the molestation.

All of them were detained during the police investigation, and Geumcheon District Office also suspended Mr. A and Mr. B from their positions on July 5, and Mr. C on July 21 of the same month.

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