'I am God': Cult leader sentenced to nine years for sexually abusing stepdaughter and follower
A court sentenced a pseudo-religious leader to nine years in prison for sexually abusing his stepdaughter and a female follower after using religious indoctrination to control them.
A police officer points at a handcuffed detainee and while holding documentsGETTY IMAGES PRO
A cult leader of pseudo-religion was sentenced to nine years in prison on Thursday for sexually abusing his stepdaughter and a female follower after indoctrinating them with religious beliefs.
The Namwon Branch of the Jeonju District Court sentenced the 68-year-old leader to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of indecent assault against a family member under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, quasi-rape and filing a false criminal complaint.
The court also ordered him to complete an 80-hour sexual violence treatment program and banned him from working at institutions serving children, adolescents and people with disabilities for 10 years.
"The defendant mentally dominated the victims, who sought salvation and spiritual enlightenment, and repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with them," the court said. "He also made a family member who had devoted herself to him for many years the target of his sexual misconduct. His actions deserve severe condemnation."
It added,“The victims suffered severe psychological trauma and required psychiatric treatment as a result of crimes. Although the defendant was a first-time offender and in poor health because of his age, we determined the sentence taking his lack of genuine remorse into account.”
The sentencing hearing had originally been scheduled for July 9 but was postponed after the defendant complained of a heart attack and was hospitalized.
The defendant appeared in court Thursday wearing a hospital gown and a face mask. He appeared visibly uncomfortable and repeatedly grimaced while standing at the defendant's table.
An illustration depicting a cult leader of a pseudo-religion and its devoteesJOONGANG ILBO
He was convicted of sexually assaulting and quasi-raping a female follower between July 2023 and March 2024.
He was also found guilty of repeatedly molesting his stepdaughter between January and April 2024. In December of the same year, he falsely accused her of filing a fabricated sexual crime complaint against him, leading to the false complaint charge.
Investigators found that the defendant repeatedly committed sexual offenses after indoctrinating followers by claiming, "I am God," causing them to believe they could not refuse his instructions.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
