JMS Former Members Celebrate Jeong Myeong-seok's Heavy Sentence... Writing a Maple Book

'JMS Sniper' Professor Kim Dohyung of Dankook University
"Will be 100 years old after prison... Wishing for longevity"

Regarding Jeong Myeong-seok, the president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who was sentenced to a heavy punishment in the first trial on charges including sexual assault of female followers, it has been reported that former members held a celebration party.

Professor Kim Do-hyung of Dankook University, who has been tracking the JMS case, appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 26th and shared this news. Professor Kim conveyed the current status of Maple, a Hong Kong national who appeared in the Netflix documentary 'I Am a God' and exposed Jeong’s sexual assault charges, saying, "After hearing the sentencing result, about 30 former members held a party and presented a plaque of appreciation to Maple."

Jung Myung-seok, president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who was sentenced to a heavy punishment in the first trial on charges of sexually assaulting and forcibly molesting female followers./Netflix 'I Am God'

Professor Kim said about Maple, "Fortunately, she has now found a stable job in Hong Kong and is living well," and added, "To prevent other victims from emerging, a Hong Kong publisher proposed publishing a book, and she is currently writing it." He continued, "Seeing the guilty verdict and the former members expressing their gratitude seems to have brought her some comfort."

Regarding the strong backlash from JMS followers against Jeong’s first trial verdict, Professor Kim said, "He must have done so many terrible things that the sentence exceeded the standard sentencing guidelines," and added, "The court even scolded him during sentencing, saying he was 'trying to cover the sky with the palm of his hand'."

He further emphasized, "(Jeong, who is 78 years old) would have to live to 100 years old to complete his prison term. Longevity alone is not enough; he must have a long and healthy life," and stressed, "He must completely settle his sins before he goes."

Jeong, accused of sexual assault and other charges against followers, was sentenced to 23 years in prison in the first trial on the 22nd. Jeong submitted an appeal to the Criminal Division 12 of the Daejeon District Court through his lawyer.

Jeong’s lawyer argued in the appeal that "there was no fact of sexual assault or molestation against the victims, nor did he claim to be a divine figure such as the Second Coming of Jesus, and the victims were not in a state of helplessness," and claimed, "The sentence is excessively heavy and unfair as it deviates from the Supreme Court’s sentencing guidelines."

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