"Severe Punishment Unavoidable"... JMS Jung Myungseok Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison in First Trial for 'Sexual Assault of Female Followers'

"Repeatedly molested by exploiting his absolute authority"
"The means and methods of the crimes were highly reprehensible"

Jung Myung-seok, president of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), who was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting female followers through religious brainwashing, has received another lengthy prison sentence.

According to Yonhap News Agency on Oct. 19, the 11th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court, presided over by Judge Park Woo-geun, sentenced Jung, who was indicted on charges including quasi-rape, to 33 years in prison that day. The court also ordered the disclosure of his personal information, a 10-year ban on employment at institutions related to children, adolescents, and people with disabilities, and 15 years of wearing an electronic location-tracking device.

JMS President Jeong Myeong-seok. Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office

Jung was brought to trial on charges of brainwashing 16 female followers into believing he was the "Messiah" and rendering them incapable of resisting, then sexually assaulting or molesting them more than 80 times between 2018 and 2022 at locations including a retreat center in Wolmyeong-dong, Jinsan-myeon, Geumsan County, South Chungcheong Province.

The court said, "As a religious leader, he repeatedly molested multiple female followers by exploiting his absolute authority, comparable to that of the returning Lord." It added, "The means and methods of the crimes were highly reprehensible, and the offenses were committed repeatedly by exploiting a religious power structure and influence built up over a long period. Severe punishment is therefore unavoidable."

Jung is currently serving his sentence at Daejeon Prison after the Supreme Court upheld a 17-year prison term in January 2025 for sexually assaulting Maple, a female follower who is a Hong Kong national, and molesting Amy, an Australian national, and a South Korean female follower. Before that, he served a 10-year prison sentence for molesting or sexually assaulting four female followers in their 20s at locations including a resort in Malaysia, an apartment in Hong Kong, and lodging in Anshan, China, from August 2001 to April 2006. He was released in February 2018.

Meanwhile, four JMS executives who participated in or condoned Jung's crimes and threatened victims to stop them from filing complaints were sentenced to prison terms of seven and three years, or received suspended prison sentences. One JMS executive who was indicted along with them was acquitted.

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