The request for disqualification of the judge filed by Jeong Myeong-seok, the 78-year-old president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who is on trial for allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment against female followers, was not accepted.
On the 26th, the 10th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (presiding judge Oh Young-pyo) dismissed the judge disqualification request filed by Jeong's side.
A photo of Jeong Myeong-seok, president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), taken at an event commemorating February 18, 2019, as the 'Resurrection,' marking one year since his release.
Earlier, Jeong's side submitted the judge disqualification request to the court on the 17th. As a result, the 11th trial of Jeong, which was scheduled to be held on the 18th under the 12th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (presiding judge Na Sang-hoon), was suspended.
Subsequently, Jeong's defense attorney submitted a supplementary opinion on the disqualification request to the court on the 25th, but the request was dismissed. Although the specific reasons for the court's dismissal of Jeong's disqualification request have not been confirmed, the legal community believes that the court likely judged that Jeong's side filed the request for the purpose of delaying the trial, as no particular circumstances undermining the fairness of the trial were found.
The judge disqualification request is a system under the Criminal Procedure Act whereby the prosecutor or defendant can request the exclusion of a judge from performing duties if there is concern that the judge may conduct an unfair trial.
With the dismissal of the disqualification request, the trial regarding Jeong's charges of forced molestation, false accusation, quasi-rape, and others is expected to resume soon.
Jeong was detained and indicted on charges of molesting or sexually assaulting female followers at the training center in Wolmyeong-dong, Geumsan-gun, Chungnam Province, from February 2018 to September 2021, including sexually harassing a female follower of Australian nationality.
Six female JMS executives, including Kim Ji-seon (44, female), known as the 'No. 2 of JMS,' as well as the director of civil affairs, director of international missions, and personal secretary, have also been indicted and are on trial for participating in or assisting the sexual assault crimes (quasi-rape, quasi-rape, forced molestation, aiding quasi-rape, etc.).
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