Prosecutors seek 27 years for religious sect leader accused of abusing female followers

Prosecutors on Monday demanded a 27-year prison term for the leader of a religious sect, the Jesus Morning Star, on charges of raping and sexually abusing 16 female members, officials said.

Jeong Myeong-seok, the 81-year-old leader, was accused of sexually assaulting or molesting the female members on around 80 occasions between 2018 and 2022 after making them incapable of resisting by brainwashing them into believing he was the "Messiah."

"The defendant repeatedly committed crimes by exploiting relationships of trust with vulnerable victims," the prosecution said.

Prosecutors also requested a district court's orders of a 10-year employment restriction at facilities related to children, juveniles and disabled people, 20 years of wearing an electronic tracking device and five years of probation.

Jeong is currently serving a 17-year prison sentence after the Supreme Court finalized the ruling in January 2025 for sexually assaulting a Hong Kong national and harassing an Australian follower and a Korean follower.

Prior to the 2025 sentence, he served a 10-year prison term for sexually assaulting and molesting four female followers overseas between 2001 and 2006 and was released in February 2018.

Yonhap