Investigator Who Sexually Assaulted Sisters He Was Meant to Protect Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

▲ The Supreme Court of Korea

A 10-year prison sentence has been finalized for an investigator at an agency for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities who was charged with sexually assaulting teenage students with intellectual disabilities.

The First Division of the Supreme Court (Justice Seo Gyeong-hwan presiding) upheld the lower court's ruling last month, which sentenced the defendant, a man in his 50s identified as A, for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (rape of a person with a disability under protection).

A, who worked as an investigator at an agency for the rights of persons with disabilities in Jeju, was indicted on charges of sexually abusing and molesting two teenage girls with intellectual disabilities, including a student identified as B, and B's younger sister on multiple occasions between July 2024 and February 2025. The incidents took place in locations including a counseling room, a storage room, and during home visits.

A was also charged with raping student B in the back seat of a company vehicle in February 2025.

The first trial found A guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment and 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs, and imposed a 10-year ban on his employment at institutions related to children and adolescents.

Although A denied some of the charges, the first trial court rejected his claims, stating that there was no reason to believe the victims had provided false testimony and that there were factors supporting the credibility of the victims' statements.

The first trial court criticized the defendant, stating, "Despite being in a position where he was responsible for protecting the victims as an employee of a disability protection agency, the defendant exploited the fact that the victims had limited ability to protect or defend themselves, committing sexual crimes. The gravity of his guilt is significant, and a stern punishment is inevitable."

A appealed the decision, but both the second trial court and the Supreme Court dismissed the appeals, finding no errors in the original judgment.

(Photo: Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)

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