부하 여군 성폭력, 거짓 진술 모아 2차 가해…공군 대령 징역 5년 확정

A South Korean air force lieutenant, identified as 50-year-old Kim G., has been sentenced to five years in prison for multiple counts of sexual assault and false testimony involving female fellow servicemen. The decision was confirmed by the Supreme Court's second division on December 12th. In addition to the prison term, Kim was ordered to undergo 40 hours of sexual violence counseling and is prohibited from working for organizations related to children and disabled individuals for the next five years.

Kim was arrested in October 2024 on suspicion of attempting to sexually assault a female fellow servicewoman and causing injury. The incident came to light during a press conference held by the Military Human Rights Center's Subsidiary Women's Protection Counseling Center on October 31st, 2024. The case is seen as particularly egregious following a previous incident where a young Air Force officer, Lee E-yeom, took an extreme action after being forced into sexual assault.

Kim denied all charges during the investigation and trial, but the court found him guilty of all allegations. Kim's legal team filed for a review of the court's decision the day before the final verdict was announced, but the request was denied. The review request was filed again just before the Supreme Court's decision on December 15th, but the Supreme Court denied it once more.

The Military Human Rights Center held a press conference after the ruling, criticizing the court's decision, stating that it was a disgrace and a level of shock. The center also emphasized the need for the military authorities to hold individual perpetrators accountable for their crimes and to address systemic issues of power-based sexual violence within the military, as well as to take comprehensive measures to prevent sexual violence and support victims.