Man who livestreamed sexual assault gets sentence reduced from eight to five years
Published: 14 Nov. 2025, 21:06
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A male internet broadcaster who livestreamed himself sexually assaulting an unconscious woman has had his sentence reduced to five years in prison on appeal.
The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court’s ruling that sentenced the defendant, surnamed Kim, to eight years in prison, and instead handed down a five-year sentence on Friday.
The court also barred Kim from working at institutions involving children, adolescents or people with disabilities for seven years and ordered three years of probation following the completion of his sentence.
Kim was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman who had lost consciousness after taking sleeping pills, during a livestream that drew hundreds of viewers. More than 200 people were reportedly watching the broadcast when the crime occurred. During the investigation, police uncovered evidence of an additional sexual offense by Kim involving another woman.
The lower court found that Kim had committed the crime for financial gain, seeking to profit from sensational content through his broadcast. However, the appeals court disagreed with that assessment, stating, “Even if the broadcast generated revenue, that income was not directly transferred to the defendant. It cannot be concluded that the defendant gained a financial benefit directly from the livestream.”
The court added that its sentencing decision also took into account the fact that one of the victims expressed a desire not to see Kim punished.
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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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