Prosecutors have requested a lengthy prison sentence for Jung Myung-seok, the leader of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who is accused of sexually assaulting female followers after subjecting them to religious indoctrination.
On September 7, during a sentencing hearing at the Daejeon District Court, the Daejeon District Prosecutor's Office asked the court to impose a 27-year prison term on Jung for charges including quasi-rape. They also sought a 10-year employment ban in institutions related to children, adolescents, and individuals with disabilities, a 20-year electronic monitoring order, and five years of probation.
The prosecution criticized Jung, stating, "The defendant abused his position as the leader of a religious organization to indoctrinate young female followers through the church's human and material resources. He exploited the trust established with economically and psychologically vulnerable followers to commit ongoing and repeated offenses."
They further explained their reasoning for the severe sentence, noting that Jung not only committed repeat offenses during the probation period for similar crimes but also denied all allegations and showed no remorse. They accused him of intimidating and coercing victims to prevent them from reporting the crimes.
Jung is alleged to have sexually assaulted 16 female followers between 2018 and 2022 at various locations, including a training center in Wollyeong-dong, Geumsan County, by indoctrinating them to believe he was the Messiah, rendering them incapable of resisting. He is also accused of coercing victims into signing statements promising not to file complaints against him.
However, Jung's defense team has denied all charges, claiming there was no physical contact with the female followers and that they were not incapacitated. Since his initial indictment in May 2024, additional victims have come forward, leading to an extended trial that has lasted over two years.
According to the prosecution, this is not Jung's first offense. He served a 10-year prison sentence from 2001 to 2006 for sexually assaulting and molesting four female followers in their twenties at overseas training centers. He was released in February 2018.
Immediately after his release, he allegedly committed further sexual offenses, including assaults on female followers from Hong Kong and Australia, resulting in a 17-year prison sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court last January. He is currently serving his sentence at Daejeon Correctional Facility.
Additionally, prosecutors have sought a seven-year sentence for Kim Ji-sun, the second-in-command of JMS, who is also charged with aiding Jung. Four other officials accused of either facilitating the crimes or intimidating victims face sentences ranging from one to three and a half years.
The first-instance verdict for Jung and the related officials is scheduled for next month.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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