A middle school teacher in North Jeolla Province was indicted and detained on charges of raping and molesting his female middle school student he taught more than 20 times.
The Criminal Division 2 of the Gunsan Branch of the Jeonju District Prosecutors Office (Director General Hong Ji-ye) said on the 14th that it indicted, under detention, A, a middle school teacher in North Jeolla Province in his 40s, on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses (intercourse by authority, etc.).
According to prosecutors, A is suspected of committing sex crimes against his student, B, more than 20 times over about two months.
At first, police determined the relationship between A and the victim student to be sexual intercourse with the victim's consent and forwarded the case on charges of statutory rape of a minor. However, as prosecutors conducted a supplementary investigation, they confirmed that the crimes were committed by "power" exploiting the superior status of teacher over student.
Accordingly, prosecutors changed A's charge to "intercourse by deception or authority" under the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses. The statutory penalty for this charge is life imprisonment or at least five years in prison, which is heavier than statutory rape of a minor.
During the additional investigation by prosecutors, A's other offenses were also identified. Prosecutors said they confirmed seven additional offenses beyond those initially identified through a search of his residence and an analysis of cell tower location data.
A prosecution official said, "Considering the status relationship between the defendant and the victim and the number of offenses, the case is serious and there is a risk of evidence destruction, so we obtained an arrest warrant and indicted," adding, "We will respond sternly to sex crimes against children and adolescents."