Former LA Deputy Consul General Charged with 'Forced Indecency' Acquitted

1st Trial Partially Guilty → 2nd Trial "Supporting Drunk Employee" Not Guilty
Supreme Court "No Reasonable Doubt Proving Intentional Harassment"

A former National Intelligence Service (NIS) official who was prosecuted for sexually harassing a consulate employee while serving as deputy consul at the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles (LA), United States, has been acquitted.

The Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Ahn Cheol-sang) announced on the 14th that it upheld the lower court's ruling acquitting former NIS official Mr. A of the charge of quasi-forced sexual molestation.

Mr. A was prosecuted on charges of sexually harassing contract employee Mr. B, who was so intoxicated he could barely stand, after having dinner with three consulate staff members in June 2020.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs repatriated Mr. A to Korea after he was reported to the local police, and the prosecution charged him with forced molestation, alleging that Mr. A made two unnecessary physical contacts while supporting the heavily intoxicated Mr. B after the dinner.

The first trial court recognized some of Mr. A's acts of molestation, sentencing him to a fine of 10 million won and ordering 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program. However, the court applied the charge of quasi-forced sexual molestation, ruling that it was not forced molestation.

However, the second trial court acquitted Mr. A, stating that the intent to molest was not proven. The appellate court said, "It can be seen as an incident that occurred while a superior who hosted the dinner was supporting a subordinate who was intoxicated," and "It cannot be ruled out that physical contact occurred unintentionally by Mr. A in order to support the victim."

The Supreme Court also agreed with the second trial court's judgment. The bench stated, "Based solely on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, it is difficult to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. A had the intent to molest."

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