'Underage Sexual Assault' Kim Geun-sik's Detention Review Petition Denied... Continued Detention

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Kim Geunsik (54), who was re-arrested a day before his release after additional child sex crimes committed before his imprisonment in 2006 were discovered, had his detention review petition dismissed on the 19th. A detention review is a procedure where a detained suspect challenges the legality of their detention and requests the court to reconsider.

The Criminal Division 2 of the Anyang Branch of Suwon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Seonhee) conducted the detention review hearing requested by Kim Geunsik for about 40 minutes starting at 2 p.m. that day.

Afterwards, the court dismissed Kim Geunsik's petition, stating, "There is a risk of flight and evidence tampering, so the necessity of detention is recognized."

With the dismissal of the detention review petition, Kim Geunsik will continue to be detained while undergoing investigation by the prosecution.

On the day of the hearing, Kim Geunsik entered the parking area inside the Anyang Branch of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office by riding the Ministry of Justice transport vehicle from Anyang Prison 30 minutes before the hearing. It was reported that he denied the charges during the hearing. He also argued for the necessity of non-custodial investigation, claiming that he had a fixed residence after release and that his face was already known, so there was no risk of flight.

He was re-arrested through a warrant hearing a day before his release on the 16th and will undergo prosecution investigation regarding the additional crimes discovered while in custody. At that time, Chief Judge Song Jungho of the Anyang Branch of Suwon District Court explained the reason for issuing the warrant, stating, "The crime is substantiated, and there is a risk of flight and evidence tampering."

According to the prosecution, Kim Geunsik was accused by one victim of sexual violence that occurred in 2006. The victim was a minor 16 years ago, and under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, which was enacted in April 2010, the statute of limitations for the additional crimes is presumed not to have expired yet.

Kim Geunsik was sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping 11 female students from elementary to high school in the Incheon and Gyeonggi areas between May and September 2006. During his imprisonment, his sentence was extended by one year due to involvement in two assault incidents.

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