Prosecutors Add Charges Against JMS Jung Myung-seok for 'Sexual Assault of Female Followers'

Jung Myung-seok (79), the founder of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who was sentenced to 23 years in prison in the first trial for sexually assaulting female followers and is currently undergoing an appeal trial, has been additionally indicted for sexually assaulting other female followers.

JMS President Jeong Myeong-seok (Photo by Yonhap News)

The Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office's Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Park Eun-hye) announced on the 28th that Jung was additionally indicted for quasi-rape and other charges. Jung is accused of committing sexual violence against two female followers a total of 19 times from April 2018 to January 2022.

Additionally, three JMS associates, including Jung's personal doctor, were also indicted without detention. They are accused of participating in Jung's sexual violence crimes or making the victims sign agreements to prevent them from filing criminal complaints.

A prosecution official stated, “We thoroughly reviewed the related cases currently on trial and the transferred investigation records, conducted further victim investigations, and uncovered that the cult leader Jung Myung-seok systematically committed sexual violence by putting the victims into a state of helplessness through religious brainwashing education,” adding, “We will make every effort to maintain the prosecution and protect the victims to ensure that Jung Myung-seok and his accomplices receive punishments commensurate with their crimes.”