Known as the "Perverted Teacher"... 20s Temporary Teacher Who Molested Elementary Students Receives Suspended Sentence on Appeal

Revelations Emerged After End of Substitute Teaching Contract
Prosecution Appealed... Original Sentence of Three Years in Prison and Four-Year Suspension Upheld
Court: "Degree of Molestation Not Considered Exceptionally Severe"

A temporary teacher in his 20s who repeatedly molested six young students at an elementary school in the Gangwon region was again sentenced to a suspended prison term in the appellate trial. It was found that the teacher’s continued misconduct was so notorious that he was known among students as the "perverted teacher."

According to Yonhap News on October 4, citing legal sources, the Criminal Division 1 of the Chuncheon Branch of the Seoul High Court sentenced Mr. A (28), who was charged with sexual molestation of minors under 13, as well as child abuse, to three years in prison with a four-year suspended sentence, the same as the sentence issued in the first trial. Although the prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, the court did not accept their appeal.

A temporary teacher in his 20s who repeatedly molested six students at an elementary school in the Gangwon region was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the appellate court. Yonhap News

Mr. A worked as a temporary replacement for another teacher on parental leave between October 2024 and January 2025. During this time, he repeatedly molested students by having them sit on his lap, hugging them, and touching their bodies in the classroom, the teachers’ preparation room, and indoor playground. The investigation revealed there were six victims, all children aged nine or ten.

The crimes came to light in February to March of last year, after Mr. A’s temporary contract ended. A parent of one of the victims discovered messages from Mr. A to their child, such as, "Let me know if you miss me," "Let’s meet for a bit," and "Message me on KakaoTalk if you’re bored." This prompted the parent to notify the school, leading to an internal investigation. As a result, the school collected testimonies from other students, confirming additional victim accounts and reports that Mr. A was referred to as the "perverted teacher" among students.

The first trial court pointed out that the victims, being only nine or ten years old, were children especially vulnerable to crime, stating, "The defendant’s offenses against highly sensitive and easily hurt children are unethical and of a grave nature."

However, the court granted a suspended sentence, noting that Mr. A had reached a settlement with five out of the six victims, had admitted to and apologized for the wrongdoing after the investigation began. In the appellate trial, it was further considered that a settlement had also been reached with the remaining victim and that the extent of the molestation was not deemed extremely severe, so the original sentence was upheld.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.