Shim Seok-hee. yunhap news
A former national team coach Cho Jae-beom, who was accused of committing a sexual crime against a Korean female short track player Shim Seok-hee, was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison in court. Sim’s side said it would appeal, saying, “The sentence was very low compared to the damage received.”
On the 21st, the 15th Criminal Division of the Suwon District Law (Director Judge Cho Hyu-ok) sentenced Jo to 10 years and 6 months in prison, saying, “The guilt is heavy and the possibility of criticism is very high” to Mr. Cho, who is accused of violating the law on sexual protection of children and adolescents. did. In addition, it was ordered to complete 200 hours of sexual violence treatment program and to restrict employment in children and youth related organizations and welfare facilities for the disabled for 7 years.
Jo was sexually assaulted or forcibly harassed 30 times in 7 places including Taereung/Jincheon Athlete’s Village and Korea Sports University’s ice rink for 3 years from August 2014, when Shim was a sophomore in high school to December 2017, just before the opening of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Was charged with one charge.
In addition to sexual offenses, Mr. Cho was also handed over to trial for injuring Sim by habitually assaulting Sim, and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison at an appeals trial in January 2019, and his sentence was confirmed.
Earlier, on January 16, 2018, ahead of the opening of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, President Moon Jae-in did not see the figure of Shim when he visited Jincheon Athlete’s Village in Chungbuk. Several suspicions arose that Shim, the captain of the women’s national team, did not appear in the meeting with the president, and after that, it was revealed that Shim left the village after being assaulted by Cho the day before.
In January of the following year, after revealing that Shim was sexually assaulted and forcibly assaulted by Jo, as well as several times, a court dispute began when he sued Jo for sexual assault.
Mr. Cho consistently denied the charges, saying, “I admit that I was violent and abused for discipline, but I have never committed a sex crime.” did.
On this day, the judge said, “As a coach of the short track national team who instructed the victims, the defendant committed sexual crimes with force using the victim’s inability to protest several times over the years.” “However, there are measures to deny the charges and seek forgiveness from the victims. I didn’t.”
In addition, “the victim has suffered serious mental damage from the period of continuous sexual violence from the period of children and adolescents in which sexual identity and values have to be formed. The victim took courage to expose the crime of the accused to the outside, but in the process of stating the case, I had to spend a very painful time for more than two years besides the period of the crime, such as recalling my memories.”
Shim Seok-hee “You must not have a victim like me again”
Shim Seok-hee. yunhap news
Attorney Lim Sang-hyuk, an attorney on the side of Sim, said, “Sim was in pain after being investigated for 6 months and tried for 1 year and 6 months. I think that the sentence of six months a year is very low compared to the social impact and the victims’ damage. I will try to correct this through appeal.”
On this day, Sim was unable to appear in court because he was in self-quarantine until the 22nd due to the confirmation of a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) by an acquaintance. Through the entrance statement, Sim said, “I took courage to think that there should not be a victim like me again. I hope that today’s ruling will help victims somewhere in our society to speak out.” He added, “I sincerely hope that similar incidents will never occur in the future.”
Reporter Jeong Hye-jeong [email protected]