Up to 9 Years in Prison Demanded for Middle Schoolers Who Group-Assaulted Peer with Intellectual Disability

Prosecutors have demanded heavy prison sentences for middle school students in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, who group-assaulted a peer with an intellectual disability and even filmed and shared sexually exploitative content.

During a hearing held today (October 21) by the 1st Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court's Cheonan Branch, prosecutors asked the court to sentence four defendants, including a student identified as A, to up to nine years in prison with a minimum term of three years on charges including violations of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Crimes.

The prosecutor stated the reason for the sentencing demand, explaining that they continued their crimes for a considerable period and that the methods used were extremely brutal.

Student A and the others are accused of repeatedly assaulting a middle school student, B, who has an intellectual disability, at an outdoor shelter and other locations in Cheonan last May, stripping off his clothes, illegally filming his body, and sharing the footage.

During today's trial, the defendants stated that they were reflecting on their actions, and the defendants' parents also apologized to the victim's side, pleading for leniency while promising to take care to ensure such an incident does not happen again.

The first-instance sentencing hearing for them is scheduled to be held on November 16.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.