A leader of a pseudo-religious group who deified himself and repeatedly committed sex crimes after mentally controlling his stepdaughter and a female follower has been sentenced to a heavy prison term.
The Jeonju District Court Namwon Branch Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Kim Jeong-ung, Director General) on the 16th sentenced A, 68, who was indicted and detained on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (forcible molestation by a family relationship), quasi-rape, and false accusation, to nine years in prison.
The court also ordered A to complete 80 hours of a sex offender treatment program and restricted employment for 10 years at institutions related to children, teenagers, and people with disabilities.
The court said, "The defendant, while mentally dominating the victims who sought salvation and enlightenment, repeatedly engaged in sexual contact," and added, "Moreover, the defendant made a family member who had long devoted service at close range a sexual target, and thus deserves condemnation."
It continued, "The victims suffered great shock, including visiting psychiatry, due to the defendant's crimes," and noted, "Although the defendant is a first-time offender and is elderly with physical discomfort, we determined the sentence considering, among other things, the lack of repentance (an attitude of deeply reflecting on the crime)."
A was brought to trial on charges of repeatedly molesting and quasi-raping B, a 54-year-old female follower, from July 2023 to March last year. A also faced charges of habitually molesting C, a 31-year-old stepdaughter, between January and April last year.
In December of the same year, when C reported A for sex crimes, A in turn faced a charge of false accusation, saying, "My daughter falsely reported me for a sex crime."
The investigation found that A habitually claimed, "I am God," and forced religious belief on the victims. It was determined that A then repeatedly committed sex crimes after psychologically dominating the victims so that they could not easily refuse instructions.