Teenager Who Illegally Filmed 235 Times at Schools and Restaurants Faces 8-Year Prison Sentence in Prosecutor's Appeal Trial

"Embarrassed and Regretful for Wrong Behavior"

The prosecution demanded an 8-year prison sentence in the appellate trial for a teenager accused of repeatedly engaging in illegal filming and distributing the footage at the high school he attended and in the restroom of a restaurant run by his parents.

On the 28th, Yonhap News reported, "The Jeju Criminal Division 1 of the Gwangju High Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jae-shin) held the first appellate trial and sentencing hearing for A (19), who was prosecuted for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, among other charges." The prosecution previously requested a long-term sentence of 8 years and a short-term sentence of 4 years in the first trial, and after A reached adulthood, demanded an 8-year prison sentence in the appellate trial.

A is accused of illegally filming 235 times using a mobile phone targeting unspecified individuals and distributing the footage 10 times via social networking services (SNS) by entering a restaurant in Jeju City and the girls' restroom at his high school from mid-September to October 18 last year. He is also charged with possessing footage showing victims' bodies, borrowing a friend's tablet PC, accessing the friend's SNS account, and secretly downloading and possessing videos and photos.

In his closing argument, A's lawyer pleaded for leniency, stating, "The defendant deeply regrets his wrongdoing, was a minor at the time of the crime, and has no prior criminal record. Although there was no additional settlement after agreeing with five victims in the lower court, he later wrote an apology letter and delivered it through the victims' lawyer." A said, "I sincerely apologize to the victims who suffered great emotional wounds due to my wrongful actions. I realized that the crimes I committed out of sexual curiosity could cause significant harm, and I feel ashamed and regretful of my actions."

The victims' lawyers announced they would submit materials investigating the victims' psychological states before sentencing to convey the seriousness of the case. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October.

Meanwhile, A's crimes were uncovered on October 18 last year when a teacher found a tissue box containing a mobile phone with the camera function turned on in the school restroom and reported it to the police. A turned himself in the day after the report was filed and was eventually expelled. After the first trial sentenced him to 4 years in prison, both the prosecution and the defendant appealed, and a teachers' organization declared it would take action to ensure strict punishment for the perpetrator.

Regarding the first trial's verdict, the Jeju Teachers' Union issued a statement saying, "We will take the lead in responding to ensure strict punishment for the perpetrator," and added, "Following the victim teacher's intention to appeal, we will continuously raise the issue and promote public awareness through nationwide teacher signature campaigns for strict punishment."

The teachers' union pointed out, "Even after this case, illegal filming incidents targeting teachers have continued to occur. Despite being clear sexual crimes, they are often dismissed as mere adolescent sexual curiosity, resulting in lenient punishments and a vicious cycle of leniency. The victim teachers endure the pain alone and suffer from severe trauma."