Prosecutors seek 30-year sentence for soldier who assaulted woman in public restroom
Published: 19 Aug. 2025, 16:40
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[KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]
Prosecutors seek a 30-year sentence for a soldier accused of stabbing a woman and attempting to sexually assault her in a public restroom while on leave.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that the suspect, a man in his 20s, entered the women’s restroom of a commercial building in Jung District, Daejeon, on Jan. 8, stabbed a woman in her 20s with a weapon and attempted to rape her. The woman suffered serious injuries to her head and ear, requiring more than 100 stitches. She was transported to a major hospital for emergency surgery and, fortunately, survived.
A colleague of the accuser told JTBC’s “Crime Chief” that she'd had been using the restroom when the suspect climbed over from the neighboring stall, pinned her against a wall and stabbed her. The accuser said the soldier threatened her, saying, “I want to have sex once before I die.”
During questioning, the suspect admitted to stabbing his accuser but claimed to have no memory of attempting to sexually assault her.
During a final hearing at the Daejeon District Court's 11th Criminal Division, prosecutors asked the court to sentence the defendant to 30 years in prison for charges including attempted rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and special trespassing.
"The victim continues to suffer significant trauma, to the point that her daily functioning and ability to work have been severely impaired," said the prosecutors. "Psychiatric evaluations did not provide objective evidence of diminished mental capacity and described the crime as one that extends beyond personal harm to provoke fear in the wider community."
The victim’s lawyer also argued for severe punishment, stating that the trauma has been so severe it had changed her once-outgoing personality.
The defendant's legal team argued that the act had been committed in a state of panic caused by stress from military service and avoidant personality disorder.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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