Victim Who Reported Sexual Harassment Faces 'Retaliation in Personnel'... Former Buddhist Order Leader Fined

A former director of the Tongriwon of the Daehan Buddhism Jingakjong, who gave personnel disadvantages to a religious order employee who reported sexual harassment by an insider in the religious community, was sentenced to a fine.

On the 8th, Judge Park Seong-geun of Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced Jeong Mo (58), the director of the Tongriwon of Daehan Buddhism Jingakjong, who was indicted for violating the Sexual Violence Prevention Act and other charges, to a fine of 1 million won. The corporate director of the Daehan Buddhism Jingakjong Maintenance Foundation, who was tried together with Jeong, was sentenced to a fine of 5 million won.

The court stated, "The defendant took personnel actions against the victim, claiming that his honor was damaged after the media reported that the response to the victim's sexual violence was inadequate," and added, "Although the victim reported this to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, the defendant prioritized the interests of the religious order, and since the personnel disadvantages caused considerable suffering to the victim, the crime is not minor," explaining the sentencing rationale.

Jeong is accused of giving personnel disadvantages such as transferring employee A, who internally reported being sexually harassed by the son of the highest leader of Jingakjong in 2018. When A applied for whistleblower protection measures to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Jeong additionally placed A on standby leave.

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission reported the case to the prosecution in June last year, and the prosecution indicted Jeong and the foundation corporation in April on charges including violations of the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Sexual Violence Prevention Act.