Juvenile Protection Disposition... No Criminal Record Remains
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A male high school senior who was prosecuted for illegally filming female academy students hundreds of times and creating fake accounts to commit so-called 'jiinneungyok' (posting victims' photos and sexually harassing them) will not face criminal punishment.
According to the legal community on the 31st, Chief Judge Kim Changhyung of the 29th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court recently transferred Kim Mo (18), a high school student indicted for possession of sexually exploitative materials in violation of the Juvenile Sexual Protection Act, to the Seoul Family Court Juvenile Division. The court stated, "We judged that it is appropriate to give the defendant one chance. The juvenile court will conduct a proper trial again." Juvenile protective measures are not punishments, so no criminal record remains.
Earlier, Kim was prosecuted for illegally filming the legs and other body parts of female students sitting in the back seat of an academy bus a total of 501 times in July 2019, and for defaming a victim, A, by impersonating her and creating a fake social networking service (SNS) account to post the photos and a self-introduction that caused sexual discomfort. Kim is also accused of downloading a total of 455 sexually exploitative comics featuring children and adolescents from an adult internet comic site and storing them on his computer.
During the trial, Kim's side admitted the charges but emphasized that he is a model student preparing for university entrance exams. The homeroom teacher testified, saying, "Kim is diligently preparing for his future while reflecting on and taking responsibility for his actions," and "He will develop if given enough opportunities."
The defense also mentioned, "The defendant served as class president and participated in volunteer activities. He is currently a high school senior who has applied for early admission. The college entrance exam is on November 18." In the final argument, they appealed for leniency, saying, "The defendant has parents who love him. Please allow the juvenile to grow up healthily." Kim also tearfully apologized, saying, "I am sorry to the victims who were hurt and to my parents who suffered emotionally."
On the other hand, the prosecutor emphasized, "Although the defendant is a model student with a promising future and is appealing for leniency, even if he studies well, he must be severely punished," and "The crime period was long, and there are multiple victims."
The court stated, "The guilt is not light, the victims have not forgiven him, and some victims are petitioning for severe punishment," but also explained the sentencing reasons by saying, "The defendant admitted the crimes and showed remorse, and as a current high school senior, his sexual awareness was not properly established at the time of the offenses. He has no prior criminal record, and his parents have expressed their intention to guide him and are petitioning for leniency."
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