"10 Years Is Too Long"... Man in His 20s Appeals After Luring and Raping Woman in Her 30s With Fake Job Ad

Approached Victim by Posing as Caregiver Recruiter
Filed Appeal Claiming "Sentence Is Excessive"

A man in his twenties who was sentenced to a heavy prison term in the first trial for luring a woman with a false advertisement for a caregiver, then kidnapping, confining, and sexually assaulting her, has filed an appeal claiming the sentence is unjust.

A man in his 20s, who was sentenced to a heavy punishment in the first trial for kidnapping, imprisoning, and sexually assaulting a woman, has been confirmed to have filed an appeal claiming the sentence is unfair. Photo by Asia Economy DB

The prosecution has decided not to file a separate appeal, as the court handed down a sentence that exceeded the prosecution's recommendation.

According to the court and prosecution on July 27, it was confirmed that Mr. An (22) submitted an appeal on July 23, arguing that the sentence was excessively harsh. The appeal was filed through his attorney, officially expressing his intention to contest the first trial's verdict.

Mr. An was indicted on charges of kidnapping, confinement, and sexual assault, and was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison in the first trial. The verdict was delivered by the Criminal Division 1 of the Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court (presiding judge Kim Guksik) on July 17. The court pointed out that "the crime was planned and meticulously executed, and the nature of the offense is grave," and imposed a sentence three years higher than the prosecution's recommended seven years.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Mr. An to complete 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program, prohibited him from working at facilities related to children, adolescents, or persons with disabilities for 10 years, and mandated registration and disclosure of his personal information.

In the written judgment, the court stated, "The defendant searched for a target through a secondhand transaction application, lured the victim, and continued the crime for about two nights and three days," and further noted, "He prepared the location and tools in advance, meticulously planned the crime, and the method was extremely bold."

The court continued, "Considering the motive, circumstances, and method of execution, the nature of the crime is extremely grave and the defendant bears heavy responsibility. The victim suffered severe psychological pain and is demanding strong punishment for the defendant. However, the fact that the defendant has admitted to the charges was taken into consideration in sentencing."

Mr. An was arrested and indicted on charges of kidnapping a woman in her thirties, referred to as Ms. A, in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, with his car from January 9 to 11, and confining her in a pension in Gapyeong, which he had rented in advance, before raping her.

The investigation found that Mr. An had posted a false part-time job advertisement on a secondhand trading app, titled "Looking for someone to care for a girl with lower body paralysis," offering a daily wage of 600,000 won, to lure Ms. A.

The post described the job as "simple conversation and play, helping with bedtime preparation and cleaning, meal preparation," and specified that "female applicants who are of similar age or younger, like a younger sister, will be preferred." However, all of these details were found to be false.

Mr. An lived alone in Seoul without any particular occupation and had no prior criminal record.