[Breaking News] JMS Leader Chung Myung-seok, 81, Sentenced to an Additional 33 Years in Prison for Raping Female Disciples in 'I Am the God'

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Chung Myung-seok (81), president of the Jesus Mission Society (JMS), who returned to court on charges of sexual crimes against female disciples, was sentenced in the first instance to a harsher penalty than the sentence requested by the prosecution.

The 11th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Park Woo-geun) sentenced Chung to 33 years in prison on the 19th for charges including quasi-rape. The court also ordered the disclosure and notification of his personal information for 10 years, a 10-year ban on employment at institutions related to children and adolescents, and the wearing of an electronic tracking device (electronic ankle monitor) for 15 years.

Kim Ji-sun (alias Chung Jo-eun), JMS's number two figure, who was charged alongside Chung for participating in his sexual crimes, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Three other executives were each sentenced to three years in prison and one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence, respectively.

Chung was prosecuted on charges of raping or molesting female disciples multiple times between 2018 and 2020 at the JMS Wolmyeong-dong Training Center in Geumsan County, Chungcheongnam-do Province, after his release from prison.

These crimes were additionally revealed while Chung was on trial for charges of raping or molesting female disciples of Hong Kong and Australian nationality, as well as a Korean female disciple, a total of 23 times at the same location between February 2018 and September 2021.

Chung had already received a confirmed sentence of 17 years in prison for these crimes and was facing a new trial after being additionally charged while serving his sentence. However, during the trial, Chung's side argued that he did not actually commit the alleged acts and that no clear evidence existed beyond the victims' testimonies.

Kim also received a confirmed sentence of seven years in prison for participating in Chung's crimes, which had already been finalized, and was additionally charged while serving her sentence.

Meanwhile, Chung Myung-seok shocked South Korea when his atrocities were highlighted in the 2023 global OTT Netflix original documentary "I Am the God: The People Betrayed by God."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original