Additional Charges Filed for JMS Jeong Myeong-seok on Allegations of Sexual Misconduct Against Female Followers

9 out of 19 Investigations Completed... 10 Under Investigation

The police have referred Jeong Myeong-seok, the president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who has been charged with sexually assaulting and forcibly molesting female followers, to the prosecution on charges of forcibly molesting another female follower.

According to Yonhap News on the 14th, Jeong was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting and forcibly molesting female followers. Around December 2018, Ms. A filed a complaint with the police last year, alleging that Jeong had molested her multiple times at a training center located in Geumsan-gun, Chungnam.

Last year, the Daejeon District Court was in turmoil due to the sentencing of JMS leader Jung Myung-seok.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, the police found that two female followers in their 20s and 30s, who reported being forcibly molested along with Ms. A, were also victims. However, the investigation was closed after they withdrew their complaints.

Currently, the appeal trial is ongoing, and so far, a total of 19 followers, including minors, have filed complaints with the police against Jeong for sexual assault and forcible molestation. The police have completed investigations on nine victims and are continuing to investigate the remaining ten. Investigations on six of these are reportedly in the final stages, and the police plan to transfer the related cases by the end of this month.

Previously, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office additionally indicted Jeong on the 28th of last month on charges of committing sexual violence 19 times against two female followers (quasi-rape).

JMS followers holding a picket protest in front of Daejeon District Court
Photo by Yonhap News

The prosecution believes that from August 2018 to January 2022, Jeong raped or molested a JMS follower and ‘faith star’ victim 12 times and raped or molested another victim seven times.

Jeong’s personal doctor and two JMS officials are accused of participating by leaving victims alone in Jeong’s room or inducing them to go to the bathroom with Jeong, and threatening them by making them sign agreements not to file criminal complaints against Jeong.

Jeong was sentenced to 23 years in prison in the first trial for charges of quasi-rape and forcible molestation of three female followers dozens of times at the training center in Wolmyeong-dong, Geumsan-gun, Chungnam, from February 2018 to September 2021. The Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 11 plans to hold the first pretrial hearing for Jeong and four other JMS officials on the 18th of next month at 11:30 a.m.

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