Church Members Sentenced to Prison for Breaking In with Crowbars and Destroying Property

Conflict with Pastor Leads to 'Vacate Pastor's Office'
Ringleader Sentenced to 10 Months Imprisonment, 2 Years Probation

Believers who clashed with a pastor and unlawfully entered the church pastor's office (pastor's study) and destroyed property were sentenced to imprisonment.

According to the legal community on the 5th, Judge Yoon Yang-ji of the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 10 sentenced Jeong Mo (75), who was indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (joint property damage and joint residential intrusion), to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation and ordered 40 hours of community service.

Seoul Western District Court building.
Photo by Yonhap News

In May 2021, Jeong unlawfully entered the pastor's office of Pastor A at a church in Seoul where he was a believer. Using a screwdriver and a crowbar (commonly called "pparu"), he damaged locks, windows, and other fixtures. During the transfer to the police station, he grabbed and shook a police officer's collar, obstructing official duties.

Jeong had decided to turn the pastor's office managed by Pastor A, with whom he had conflicts, into a cafe and demanded the removal of existing items, but Pastor A refused, leading Jeong and two other believers to plan the crime.

Jeong and his group refused to answer questions about their personal information from the police who arrived after a report and attempted to leave the scene, resulting in their arrest as caught in the act.

Jeong's side argued, "Since he clearly identified himself to the police at the time of arrest, the arrest as caught in the act was inappropriate," and "the police did not follow due process, such as failing to inform him of the Miranda rights during the arrest process."

The court recognized the risk of flight as Jeong refused to be transferred to the police station at the time of arrest, deeming the arrest as caught in the act lawful.

Additionally, the court judged that the Miranda rights were sufficiently informed through the responding police officers' body cameras.

Two accomplices indicted for entering the pastor's office and destroying property alongside Jeong were sentenced to 8 months in prison with a 2-year probation.

Judge Yoon stated the sentencing reason, "Compensation for damages has not been made, and forgiveness from the victims has not been obtained. They continue to claim the illegality of the arrest as caught in the act and have not shown remorse for the crime."

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