The Gunsan Branch of the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office (led by Senior Prosecutor Hong Ji-ye) announced on July 14 that it has formally indicted a middle school teacher in the North Jeolla Province region, identified as A, under charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles against Sexual Abuse (sexual intercourse by deception or other means).

Teacher A is accused of sexually assaulting and harassing his student, B, some 20 times over the past two months.

Initially, the police transferred the case under the charge of statutory rape of a minor, viewing the relationship as consensual on the part of the victim. However, following supplementary investigations, the prosecution confirmed that the crime was committed through the abuse of power and changed the charges accordingly.

The charge of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles against Sexual Abuse brought against Teacher A carries a heavier statutory penalty of life imprisonment or a minimum of 5 years, compared to statutory rape of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 3 years.

A prosecution official stated, "Considering the status of the defendant and the victim, as well as the frequency of the offenses, we determined the crimes to be grave," adding, "We will continue to respond strictly to sexual crimes targeting children and adolescents."

(Photo: Yonhap News)