Man Sentenced to Prison for Abusing Girlfriend with 24 Demands

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of assault, threats, and abuse against his girlfriend, who is five years younger. The Cheongju District Court ruled on July 6, 2025, that the defendant, referred to as A, severely violated the dignity and value of his partner, identified as B, during their relationship. The court noted that the psychological trauma inflicted on B is immeasurable.

A began dating B, a 21-year-old junior from the same university, in July 2022. He coerced her into creating a list of 24 rules for their relationship, which included demands such as 'know your place,' 'no socializing,' and 'do not mumble.' A threatened to expose B's private conversations if she did not comply with his demands.

When B failed to follow his orders, A resorted to physical violence and verbal abuse. On December 20 of the previous year, he assaulted her in his car for not arriving on time, resulting in a rib fracture that required five weeks of treatment. In total, he assaulted her 12 times.

Additionally, A forced B to sign a waiver relinquishing her bodily autonomy and demanded that she send him sexual videos. He also isolated her from friends, monitoring her whereabouts for 10 to 30 minutes at a time and insisting she keep video calls on while at home.

Throughout their relationship, A made B complete his academic assignments, and when he was dissatisfied with her work, he would physically abuse her. The court concluded that A's actions constituted gaslighting, manipulating B psychologically to commit these crimes.