20s soldier sentenced to jail for sexual harassment of female superior

A soldier in his 20s has been sentenced to prison for sexually harassing female superiors in front of fellow soldiers during military service.

According to legal sources on the 19th, Chief Judge Woo Sang-beom of the 6th Criminal Division of the Changwon District Court sentenced Mr. A to 6 months in prison with a 1-year suspended sentence, along with 80 hours of community service.

Mr. A is accused of sexually harassing a female officer in her 20s and two female non-commissioned officers from the same unit four times between July and August of last year while serving at an Army base in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province.

Investigations revealed that he made comments in front of his fellow soldiers about the victims, saying things like "she has a big pelvis," "her body is good except for her face," and "it wouldn't be bad to have sex with her."

In the ruling, Chief Judge Woo explained the reasons for the sentencing, stating, "This significantly undermines military discipline, and there was no agreement reached with the victims." However, he granted a suspended sentence considering the lack of a risk of reoffending after discharge and the absence of any criminal history.

This incident is raising awareness about the issue of sexual harassment in the military. Experts stress the need for preventive education against sexual harassment and sexual violence within military organizations, as well as the importance of balancing victim protection and punishment for perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense recently announced plans to strengthen relevant regulations and expand preventive education to address sexual harassment and sexual violence cases in the military. This is being viewed as part of efforts to create a safer working environment within the military.

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