"Religiously Brainwashed"...Prosecutors Seek 27 Years for JMS Leader Jeong Myeong-seok for Sexual Assaults on Female Followers

by Heo Midam

Published 07 Sep.2026 15:29(KST)

Prosecutors Also Request
20 Years of Electronic Monitoring and 5 Years of Probation

Prosecutors have requested a heavy sentence for Jeong Myeong-seok, 81, the leader of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who stood trial for sexually assaulting female followers.

"He Religiously Brainwashed Young Female Followers"

Myungseok Jeong. Provided by Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office

According to Yonhap News Agency on September 7, prosecutors asked the Daejeon District Court’s 11th Criminal Division, presided over by Chief Judge Park Woo-geun, to sentence Jeong to 27 years in prison at his final hearing for charges including quasi-rape. They also requested a 10-year employment restriction at child, youth, and disabled institutions, 20 years of electronic monitoring, and five years of probation, in addition to ordering him to take a sexual assault treatment course.

The prosecutor argued, “The specific and consistent statements by the victims, corroborating witness testimonies, and various other pieces of evidence confirm the charges.” He added, “As the leader of a religious group, he used the personal and organizational systems of an elderly man to religiously brainwash young female followers.”

He continued, “He took advantage of the trust of followers who were in vulnerable economic circumstances to commit repeated offenses. He also committed secondary victimization by claiming that the victims were fabricating their allegations or were motivated by money.” The final arguments by Jeong’s attorney and other proceedings were conducted privately in order to protect the victims of sexual crimes.

"I Am the Messiah"...Brainwashing and Sexual Assault of 16 Female Followers

Netflix Documentary 'I Am God'

Jeong was indicted on charges of brainwashing 16 female followers into believing he was the “Messiah” at the Wolmyeongdong training center in Jinsan-myeon, Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province and elsewhere from 2018 to 2022, rendering them incapable of resistance, and then sexually assaulting or molesting them more than 80 times. He is also accused of forcing the victims to sign documents promising not to press charges against him.

Throughout the trial, Jeong has adamantly denied the charges, claiming he never had physical contact with the female followers and that they were not in a state of psychological helplessness.

Jeong is currently serving a 17-year sentence at Daejeon Prison, which was finalized by the Supreme Court in January last year, for sexually assaulting a female follower of Hong Kong nationality identified as Maple, and molesting another follower of Australian nationality identified as Amy and a Korean female follower.

Additional Accusations Continually Raised After 2018 Release

Previously, Jeong was sentenced to ten years in prison for sexually assaulting or molesting four female followers in their 20s between August 2001 and April 2006 in locations such as a resort in Malaysia, an apartment in Hong Kong, and an accommodation in Anshan, China. He was released in February 2018 after serving his sentence.

After Jeong’s release, additional allegations of sexual crimes against female followers surfaced, leading to a series of new charges and culminating in the present trial. Following Jeong’s initial indictment for this case in May 2024, additional related cases were consolidated, and the legal proceedings have continued for more than two years.

Prosecutors also requested seven years in prison for Kim Ji-sun, the second-in-command at JMS who was indicted for aiding Jeong’s sexual crimes, and prison terms ranging from one year to three years and six months for four other executives. They are accused of luring victims, aiding Jeong’s sexual offenses, and threatening victims to force them to sign non-indictment documents.