Inappropriate Comments About a Female Superior During Military Service: Court's Judgment?

A man in his 20s received a suspended prison sentence for making inappropriate comments about a female superior during his military service.

On the 17th, the Jeonju District Court Criminal Division 5 (Judge Mun Joo-hee) announced that it sentenced A (22), who was indicted without detention for insulting a superior, to 6 months in prison with a 1-year suspension.

A was brought to trial for making inappropriate comments about Sergeant B, a female non-commissioned officer, in front of fellow soldiers around April 18 of last year while serving in the military.

During the incident, B, who was on duty as the officer of the day, said, "Do whatever you want to do comfortably," which A then twisted into a sexual harassment remark in front of his fellow soldiers.

Court's Judgment on Military Order and Command Structure

During the trial, A claimed that he was "just joking while talking to the soldiers" and argued that the comments did not damage the victim’s social reputation and did not disrupt military order or the legitimate chain of command. However, the court did not accept A's argument.

The court explained in its ruling, "The defendant’s remarks go beyond mere joking; they not only lower the social evaluation of the superior but also constitute a serious act that infringes on the military hierarchy and command structure, indicating that the culpability is not light."

Nevertheless, the court took into consideration that "the defendant is a first-time offender and had already received disciplinary action within the military" in determining the sentence, thus sentencing him to 6 months in prison with a 1-year suspension.

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