Man receives suspended jail term for marital rape

By Kim Rahn

A local court has found a man guilty of marital rape, the third such decision in Korea.

Jeonju District Court handed down a 30-month prison sentence term suspended for four years to the 52-year-old man who was indicted on charges of confining, beating and forcibly having sex with his wife.

The court also put the husband, surnamed Yun, on probation for two years, and ordered him to do 120 hours of community service and undergo 40 hours of therapy.

“Yun mistreated the victim, to whom he has been married for over 10 years, by confining and beating her, and raping her after threatening her with a weapon. The victim had mental shock with extreme fear and wanted him to be punished,” the court said.

According to the court, Yun committed the crime in his home in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, at around 3:25 p.m. on Feb. 5 after his wife who stayed out overnight returned to the residence prior to going out again.

A Busan court first recognized marital rape in 2009. The second recognition was made by a high court last September when a husband was given a jail term suspended for three years.