20s Sentenced to Prison for Habitually Molesting Junior Soldier's Buttocks, Asking "Is This Jelly?"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in his 20s who molested a junior soldier during his military service and continued to harass another junior soldier even after being transferred to a different unit received a suspended prison sentence.

On the 3rd, the Criminal Division 13 of the Gwangju District Court (Chief Judge Shim Jaehyun) announced that A (21), who was tried on charges including forcible molestation, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. The court also ordered him to attend 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures.

A was indicted on charges of molesting junior soldier B four times while serving in a Marine Corps unit from mid-February to early March. According to the investigation, A touched B’s buttocks after B bought jelly at the unit’s canteen, saying, "This is not jelly," and also kissed him.

Previously, in November last year, A was transferred to another unit after being accused of molesting and abusing a junior soldier in the same unit. At that time, the Navy Prosecution Office’s General Prosecution Division issued a non-prosecution disposition for the crimes A committed in the original unit.

Non-prosecution disposition means that the prosecutor does not file charges against a person who committed a crime, considering factors such as the offender’s age, relationship with the victim, and motive for the crime.

On this day, the court said, "The defendant committed a repeat offense even after being dispatched from his original unit to another unit, which shows poor criminal nature," and added, "Forcible molestation within the military camp is a serious crime that violates the victim’s sexual freedom, undermines the sound order and culture of the unit, and breaks the trust among unit members."

However, the court explained, "Considering that the defendant is a first-time offender, admitted and reflected on the crime, and that the victim does not wish for punishment through a settlement, the sentence was determined accordingly."