Supreme Court Confirms Acquittal of Officers in Late Sergeant Lee Ye-ram's Sexual Assault Case

On July 3, 2025, the Supreme Court confirmed the acquittal of the battalion commander and other officers charged with dereliction of duty and false reporting in connection with the sexual assault case involving the late Sergeant Lee Ye-ram. This ruling effectively concludes the activities of the special investigation team (특검) dedicated to the case.

The special investigation team had previously indicted a total of eight individuals, including five officers from the Air Force Headquarters' legal office, one military civilian employee, one non-commissioned officer, and a lawyer with a background as an Air Force judge advocate. Following the Supreme Court's decision, six of those indicted were found guilty (three received prison sentences, two were given suspended sentences, and one was fined), while two were acquitted. A representative from the special investigation team stated that they plan to submit a final report on the case to the President and the National Assembly within the next ten days, marking the end of their operations.

Established in June 2022, the special investigation team conducted a psychological autopsy based on letters, notes, and counseling materials left by the deceased. The findings indicated that the high risk of suicide and secondary victimization, such as bullying, experienced shortly after the sexual assault contributed significantly to the despair and helplessness that led to her tragic death.

The team reported that there were illegal activities, including secondary victimization and organized cover-ups within the military following the sexual assault. Over the course of 100 days, they investigated 164 individuals, conducted searches at over 40 locations, and analyzed 3.32 terabytes of digital forensic data.

The special investigation team emphasized that despite the male-dominated nature of the military, the victim did not receive the essential first step of separating the perpetrator from the victim, leading to her unjust death due to further victimization. They also noted that the victim's family has suffered severe emotional distress due to the military's attempts to conceal the incident. Regarding the acquittal of the two defendants, they expressed disappointment at the court's limited and passive interpretation of the case.