Court Upholds 1.5-Year Sentence for Sexual Assault of High School Girls

A 20-year-old man, identified as A, has had his 1.5-year prison sentence upheld by the Jeju District Court of the Gwangju High Court for sexually assaulting two high school girls. The court dismissed A's appeal during a hearing on February 12, 2025, confirming the original sentence for violations of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth from Sexual Abuse.

The incidents occurred on June 7, 2024, when A was seen loitering around a girls' high school in Jeju City. He followed a girl walking alone and inappropriately touched her feet, and later, he followed another girl into a residential area, where he also touched her toes. In one instance, he even entered the entrance of one victim's home.

Investigations revealed that A had a sexual fixation on specific body parts, particularly targeting victims wearing slippers. During the first trial, A's defense claimed he was in a diminished mental state at the time of the offenses, a claim that was partially accepted by the court based on psychiatric evaluations.

In November 2024, the first trial court sentenced A to 1.5 years in prison, along with five years of probation and a five-year ban on employment in institutions related to children, youth, and individuals with disabilities. The court noted the severity of the crimes, emphasizing that the victims were merely high school students and that A's actions were predatory in nature. Although one victim received compensation through a civil settlement, the court considered A's lack of prior criminal history in its sentencing.

A appealed the sentence, arguing it was excessive, but the appellate court maintained that the original sentence was appropriate given the victims' ages, the severity of the assaults, and the need for recovery.