‘Stalking and Illegal Filming Charges’ Jeon Juhwan Sentenced to 9 Years in First Trial... "Please Delay Sentencing to Ease Public Sentiment" (Comprehensive)

Court Rejects Request by Judge Jeon
"Trial Already Conducted Enough for Sentencing"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] Jeon Juhwan (31), the suspect in the ‘Sindang Station Murder Case,’ requested the court on the 29th to postpone the sentencing date in the first trial for charges of illegal filming and stalking. The court rejected this request and sentenced Jeon to 9 years in prison.

The Criminal Division 12 of the Seoul Western District Court (Chief Judge Andongbeom) sentenced Jeon to 9 years in prison at 10:30 a.m. on the same day for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and others, the Stalking Punishment Act, and the Information and Communications Network Act. The court also ordered 80 hours of stalking treatment and 40 hours of sexual crime treatment programs.

Wearing a light green prison uniform, Jeon entered the courtroom and raised his hand while the court was explaining the reasons for sentencing, saying, “I have something to say to the honorable presiding judge.” When the court asked for the reason, Jeon said, “I am truly sorry, but could you please postpone the sentencing date as much as possible?”

He added, “There is a trial pending at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and I am willing to have the cases consolidated. Also, because of the public’s attention and media focus right now, I hope the trial can take place after some time has passed and things have calmed down.”

The court said that he could have applied for consolidation before sentencing, and Jeon replied, “I didn’t know.” The court rejected Jeon’s request, explaining, “This case has already been sufficiently heard to allow sentencing.”

The presiding judge stated the reason for sentencing: “The defendant submitted letters of remorse several times during the trial process, but contrary to that, he sought out the victim and committed the crime. We judged that there is a need to prevent additional crimes in stalking offenses.”

Jeon Juhwan is accused of creating anxiety 351 times by sending illegal filmed materials and threatening messages to victim A, a colleague who joined Seoul Metro at the same time, in early October last year. After A reported this to the police, Jeon is also accused of stalking by sending 21 text messages from November last year to February this year, urging for a settlement.

This sentencing was carried out separately from the case in which Jeon is accused of murdering A. Jeon is also charged with killing A in the women’s restroom at Sindang Station on the Seoul subway on the 14th. The police weighed the possibility of a planned crime, considering that Jeon waited for about 1 hour and 10 minutes at Sindang Station and had prepared a shower cap and a weapon in advance.

He committed the crime one day before the sentencing related to charges under the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and the Stalking Punishment Act. In the police investigation, Jeon stated that he decided to commit the crime from the time the prosecution sought a 9-year prison sentence last month.