Taekwondo Instructor Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Minor

A 30-year-old taekwondo instructor has been sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 9-year-old female student over the course of a year before fleeing the country. The Uijeongbu District Court's Criminal Division 11, presided over by Judge Oh Chang-seop, found the man, referred to as A, guilty of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, specifically concerning similar acts against minors under 13 years old. The court stated, 'As the head of the taekwondo studio, the defendant had a duty to protect the victim, yet he committed acts of sexual misconduct, which is of a very serious nature.' Although A argued that some of the acts did not involve violence or threats, the court rejected this claim based on Supreme Court precedents. The court acknowledged the significant psychological trauma suffered by the victim but noted that A had submitted multiple letters of remorse daily and had reached an amicable agreement with the victim's family, who did not wish to pursue further punishment. A had operated the taekwondo studio in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, since 2017 and was found to have assaulted the girl on a school bus in July 2019, continuing the abuse until June 2020. In November 2020, he transferred the studio to an acquaintance due to personal debt issues and left for Japan with his family in 2021. Three years later, the victim's parents discovered A's crimes after reading their daughter's diary. Following their report, police tracked A down and extradited him back to South Korea. Although he initially denied the allegations, he eventually confessed after intense questioning by the police. The prosecution had sought a 12-year prison sentence during the final hearing held on January 16.