Court: "Illegality and Blameworthiness Are Very High"
Three men in their 20s who threatened runaway youths, sexually assaulted them, and forced them into prostitution were sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Three men in their 20s who threatened runaway youths, sexually assaulted them, and forced them into prostitution were sentenced to prison in the first trial.
On the 11th, the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 11 (Chief Judge Park Jooyoung) announced that A (23) was sentenced to 8 years in prison, B (22) to 2 years, and C (23) to 3 years and 6 months for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse.
The court stated, "The victim appears to have suffered extreme mental and physical pain, including pregnancy, and continues to suffer from various illnesses and secondary damages as aftereffects," adding, "The defendants have neither been forgiven by the victim nor made sincere efforts to compensate for the damages."
It continued, "The defendants forced and arranged prostitution for the juvenile victim, and also raped and molested her," explaining the sentencing rationale: "They exploited a juvenile whose identity and values are not yet established and who is in a socially and economically vulnerable position as a means to pursue economic gain, causing physical and mental harm. The illegality and blameworthiness are very high."
The defendants, who were friends, were indicted for threatening D, a runaway juvenile, in mid-December 2018 and forcing her to engage in prostitution with men recruited through a chat application.
Police investigations revealed that they forced D into prostitution by threatening, "We will not leave your family alone."
In particular, A and B were investigated to have sexually assaulted D two to three times.
They were also indicted on charges including assaulting others and opening mobile phones under other people's names to gain financial benefits.
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