"23 Years Imprisonment Is Light"... Prosecutors Appeal First Trial Result of Stepfather Who Sexually Assaulted Stepdaughter for 13 Years

Thousands of Sexual Assaults and Production of Sexual Exploitation Material
Prosecution Appeals Verdict... "Life Imprisonment Requested"

The first trial court sentenced stepfather Go Mo, who was tried on charges of sexually assaulting his minor stepdaughter for over a decade, to 23 years in prison, but the prosecution appealed, arguing that a heavier punishment is necessary.

On the 6th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Trial Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Kim Haekyung) announced that it had filed an appeal with the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26, which presided over the first trial of this case. Go was prosecuted on charges of sexually assaulting and forcibly molesting his stepdaughter A about 2,090 times over 13 years, from when she was 12 years old until she became an adult in her 20s. Go is also accused of producing and possessing sexually exploitative materials involving the victim. As a result of the first trial, the court sentenced Go to 23 years in prison. The prosecution, which sought life imprisonment at the sentencing hearing, appealed the first trial's verdict.

The prosecution stated the reason for the appeal, saying, "When the victim's report triggered an investigation by New Zealand authorities, the defendant secretly fled to South Korea and hid, and during that process, the victim's biological mother suffered extreme shock leading to a tragic death, causing severe harm." They added, "Considering that the victim repeatedly petitions for severe punishment, it was judged necessary to impose a harsher sentence on the defendant." Furthermore, they said, "Legal support was requested from the Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations regarding the loss of parental rights and appointment of a guardian for the defendant's biological daughter (the sibling born to the defendant and the victim's biological mother)."

Earlier, it was revealed that Go committed 'grooming sexual crimes' by psychologically dominating the victim from a young age to prevent resistance. The crimes continued even after the family immigrated to New Zealand. The victim, who realized belatedly that Go's actions were criminal, reported him to the New Zealand police. When the investigation began, Go fled to South Korea. The Korean police received the victim's complaint in June last year and launched an investigation, arresting Go in Cheonan, Chungnam last month. The victim's biological mother took her own life in shock after learning of Go's crimes.

The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 (Chief Judge Jeong Jina) sentenced Go to 23 years in prison on the 1st of this month. Additionally, the court ordered the attachment of an electronic location tracking device for 25 years and imposed a 10-year employment ban at institutions for children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities. At the time, the court stated, "Although the defendant belatedly admitted to the crimes and pleaded for leniency, it seems appropriate for him to be isolated from society for a considerable period to repent."

Meanwhile, the prosecution emphasized that it will continue to respond strictly to inhumane sexual violence crimes against children and adolescents while providing multifaceted support to sexual violence victims.

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