Academy Instructor Caught Attempting Illegal Filming of Student Taught for 6 Months Receives Suspended Sentence

Victim Finds Cell Phone, Attempt Fails

An instructor who was caught attempting to illegally film a student he was teaching in the bathroom was sentenced to prison.

On the 16th, the Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Jeong Doseong) sentenced Mr. A, who was indicted for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sexual Offenses (production and distribution of sexual exploitation materials, etc.), to 2 years in prison with a 3-year probation. Additionally, he was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service, attend 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures, and was banned from employment at institutions related to children, youth, and the disabled for 5 years.

The court stated, "The defendant had the duty to educate and guide students to form proper character and to protect them from sexual crimes or sexual abuse, yet committed the crime against the victim, whom he had been supervising as a homeroom teacher for six months," but explained the sentencing by considering "the defendant’s admission and remorse, the fact that the crime was only attempted, the presence of dependents, and the victim’s side expressing a desire not to pursue punishment."

Earlier, Mr. A was accused of attempting to secretly film a student, Ms. B (15), who went to the bathroom at an academy in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, where he worked, in November last year. Mr. A entered a storage room connected to the girls' bathroom to illegally film Ms. B, but she discovered his cellphone and escaped, resulting in an attempted crime.

Mr. A voluntarily accompanied the police who responded to the report and admitted to the charges during the investigation. He was immediately dismissed from the academy.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that over 500 cases were identified last year where frontline academies hired instructors without checking their records for sexual crimes or child abuse offenses. According to data titled 'Status of Detection and Administrative Disposition of Academies (Tutoring Centers) and Private Tutoring' received by Jin Sun-mi, a member of the National Assembly’s Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, from the Ministry of Education on the 15th, there were 253 cases last year where academies (tutoring centers) did not check for sexual crime records when hiring instructors, and 249 cases where they did not check for child abuse crime records, totaling 502 cases. Under the 'Youth Protection Act' and the 'Child Welfare Act,' individuals convicted of sexual crimes or child abuse are restricted from employment at academies.

Assemblywoman Jin pointed out, "Although checking for sexual crime and child abuse records when hiring instructors is the most basic requirement, many academies are not properly fulfilling this obligation, so supervision and management of educational facilities need to be strengthened," adding, "This is a clear example showing that we are failing to safely protect children who are constantly exposed to the educational environment."