The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    PHOTOSDecisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games

  • 3

    Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?

  • 5

    Seoul's financial assistance for egg freezing draws attention from single women

  • 7

    Korea wins gold, silver in men's golf

  • 9

    Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions

  • 11

    KOICA pushes for $1.8 mil. project to support Nigeria's ICT education

  • 13

    Korea's drop in exports eases in Sept. on chip sales recovery

  • 15

    On the brink of a government shutdown, Senate tries to approve funding but it's almost too late

  • 17

    Heavy traffic jams mostly eased on 5th day of holiday

  • 19

    Koreans win gold, silver in men's roller skating

  • 2

    Korea blank China to reach men's football semifinals

  • 4

    INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'

  • 6

    Korea wins 1st gold in women's team badminton in nearly 30 yrs

  • 8

    INTERVIEWROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief

  • 10

    Expressway congestion partially eases up as Koreans return home following Chuseok

  • 12

    Police launch belated probe into another teacher's suicide after parental harassment

  • 14

    Germany's government and Elon Musk spar on X over migrant rescue ships

  • 16

    M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub

  • 18

    Last-gasp deal averts US government shutdown

  • 20

    Kosovo demands Serbia withdraw troops from border

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, October 3, 2023 | 07:18
Courts slammed for light sentences on sex offenders
Posted : 2012-09-02 17:56
Updated :  
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Sex offenders often get away with suspended jail terms

By Yun Suh-young

Judges are under fire for being too lenient with sex offenders by handing down suspended jail sentences.

Civic groups are calling on courts to get tougher with sex offenders as part of efforts to crack down and prevent the recurrence of sex crimes, especially on minors.

Critics even blame judges for contributing to the rise in the number of sexual assaults on women and children.

On Thursday, a 7-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped by a 23-year-old neighbor and left abandoned under a bridge wrapped in a blanket in Naju, South Jeolla Province, sending shockwaves through the nation once again.

This case comes after a man in his 40s broke into an apartment and raped and killed a housewife in her 30s in Seoul on Aug. 20.

At the National Criminal Judges Forum in Busan, Friday, justices discussed the problem of light sentencing for sexual crimes and ways to prevent handing down weak punishments.

According to a report from the Office of Court Administration presented at the forum, the number of sex offenders given a suspended sentence in the first trial increased by 6.8 percentage points from 41.3 percent (199 out of 482) in 2010 to 48.1 percent (225 out of 468) last year. The numbers were for sex crimes committed on children 13 and under.

The percentage of judges giving out suspended sentences or a fine in all sex crime cases also increased from 51.1 percent in 2010 to 54.2 percent last year.

The number of prison sentences given to those indicted of rape or other sexual assaults decreased last year by 1 to 2 percent but the percentage of suspended sentences given for sexual harassment increased by about 10 percent.

The percentage of judges sentencing life imprisonment for sex crimes also decreased 3 percent.

The punishment, when compared to those of developed nations in the West, is far too lenient.

In the United States, sex criminals are given long jail sentences and even life imprisonment. The courts are also generally much harder on those committing sex crimes against children.

According to the Protection of Children From Sexual Predators Act, legislated in 1998, anyone sexually offending a juvenile or sexually exploiting a child, unless sentenced to death, is sentenced to life imprisonment if the victim is under age 14 and dies as a result of the offense.

In Britain, anyone committing rape is liable to life imprisonment. As for sexual assault, a person guilty of the offense is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years. The term is lengthened if the child is under 13 to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.

Korean law states that anyone committing rape on a child under 13 will be sentenced to life or over 10 years in prison. Rapists are often given sentences ranging from over five to seven years.

The problem is that many sexual assault cases end in a settlement. According to the report presented at the forum, the percentage of judges giving out probation ranged from 63.7 percent to 89.6 percent when there was a settlement reached between the victim and the perpetrator. When there was no settlement, only 3.3 percent of child rape and 46.4 percent of sexual harassment cases ended with a suspended sentence.

“We need to discuss whether to reject considering settlements as a final factor in our rulings,” said a judge from a Busan district court participating in the forum.

Jail terms are the norm and probation is an exception in court verdicts if there is no settlement reached but when an agreement is reached between the two sides, probation becomes the norm and jail sentence an exception.



Emailysy@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1[PHOTOS] Decisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games PHOTOSDecisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games
2Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables? Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?
3[INTERVIEW] ROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief INTERVIEWROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief
4Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions
5Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan
6[INTERVIEW] It is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head INTERVIEWIt is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head
7LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic
8Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok
9Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses
10Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Ahn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'
2'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office
3M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub
4[INTERVIEW] 'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director
5Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group