Choi Jong-beom Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison... Acquitted of Illegal Filming Charges
"Judiciary, Do You Have the Will to Eradicate Sex Crimes?" Criticism
Choi Jong-beom, who was indicted for assaulting and threatening the late singer Goo Hara, is heading to the courtroom to attend the appellate sentencing hearing held last July at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporters Seunggon Han and Juhee Kang] Amid the confirmation of a one-year prison sentence for Choi Jongbeom (29), who was tried on charges of assaulting and threatening the late singer Goo Hara, formerly of the group 'Kara,' criticism is mounting that punishments for sex offenders remain at a 'lenient' level.
The Supreme Court's 1st Division (Presiding Justice Park Jeonghwa) announced on the 15th that it upheld the lower court's ruling sentencing Choi to one year in prison in his appeal trial on charges including illegal filming using a camera under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, injury, and threats. The court acknowledged most charges such as property damage, injury, threats, and coercion, but, as in the first and second trials, acquitted him of the illegal filming charge.
The court stated, "Choi and Goo had set the same password on their mobile phones, allowing them to search each other's phones and delete photos when necessary," and added, "Although sexual videos were deleted, photos related to this case were left behind, and considering that the victim (Goo) also took photos of a similar nature, this was taken into account."
Previously, in the first and second trials, most charges including threats and coercion were acknowledged, resulting in sentences of one year and six months with three years probation and one year imprisonment, respectively. The court accepted Choi's claim that he had implicit consent from Goo for the filming, leading to an acquittal on the illegal filming charge.
As news of the one-year prison sentence spread, voices criticizing the light punishment grew louder among citizens.
Despite heightened awareness of digital sex crimes following socially shocking incidents such as the Telegram 'Nth Room' case and the group sexual assault cases involving Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon, criticism persists that punishments for perpetrators remain lenient.
Office worker Kim (28) said, "The victim suffered from depression and took her own life. Is a mere one-year sentence appropriate when a life was lost?" He added, "The victim was a celebrity, and videos capturing her private life were fatal to her. Choi knew this and threatened to distribute them, showing his malicious intent. It's hard to believe that someone like him can serve just one year and then live freely. It feels like the judiciary is siding with the perpetrator."
Concerns that low punishment levels fail to eradicate sex crimes have been consistently raised.
According to a survey conducted from June to August by 'Chujokdan Bulkkot,' the group that first exposed the Nth Room case, and the civic organization 'Reset,' among 7,509 citizens surveyed, 99.8% agreed that punishments for digital sex crimes are at a lenient level.
Additionally, 98.8% of respondents agreed that "the judiciary does not take digital sex crimes seriously," and when asked what the Supreme Court Sentencing Commission or judiciary should do to reduce digital sex crimes, 53.8% answered "impose heavier punishments" and "strengthen sentencing."
University student A (24) said, "I have rarely seen sex offenders receive punishments that match the public's outrage. Distrust in the judiciary is so great that people around me even say, 'At least he got a year in prison.' If I had a daughter, I would never want to raise her in this country. I don't even know if the judiciary has the will to eradicate sex crimes."
Meanwhile, Goo Hara's older brother, Goo Hoin, reportedly expressed regret regarding the Supreme Court's final ruling on Choi.
Goo Hoin told a media outlet, "Implicit consent and enduring pain in a romantic relationship are separate concepts, and I feel this ruling did not sufficiently consider the special nature of a romantic relationship, which is disappointing." He added, "However, since it is a Supreme Court ruling, I respect, accept, and acknowledge it."
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