Investigator Who Was Supposed to Protect Victims Commits Sexual Assault Against Sisters: Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

A 10-year prison sentence has been finalized for an investigator at an organization for the rights of people 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, to 10 years in prison for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (rape of a person under protection due to disability, etc.).
A, who worked as an investigator at an organization for the rights of people with disabilities in Jeju, was indicted on charges of sexually abusing two teenage girls with intellectual disabilities, including a student identified as B, and one of the students' younger sisters multiple times between July 2024 and February 2025. The abuse occurred 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 court found A guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment programs and 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs, and imposed a 10-year employment restriction at child and youth-related institutions.
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 required to protect the victims as an employee of an organization for people with disabilities, the defendant exploited the fact that the victims had limited ability to protect or defend themselves to commit sexual crimes. His culpability is grave, and a stern punishment is inevitable."
A appealed the decision, but both the second trial court and the Supreme Court found no errors in the judgment and dismissed the appeal.
(Photo: Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.