Ex-professor convicted of sexually assaulting student ordered to pay fine to victim as well
Published: 28 Jan. 2026, 17:55
![An image of a statue of Justitia, the goddess of justice [KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/01/28/3075cb7d-29d4-4e38-a349-c90e2c1e1ea2.jpg)
An image of a statue of Justitia, the goddess of justice [KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]
An appellate court has ordered a former professor at Sungshin Women’s University, who had received a four-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a student, to pay 100 million won ($70,400) in damages to the victim, legal sources said on Wednesday.
The Seoul Northern District Court ruled on Jan. 16 that the defendant must pay the compensation in a civil lawsuit filed by the victim.
The case dates back to March 2020, when the victim filed an initial lawsuit seeking 150 million won in damages for psychological trauma caused by sexual assault.
In a ruling in February 2024, the trial court found the former professor liable, stating that they used their supervisory position to commit sexual assault and indecent acts against the plaintiff, and ordered them to pay 100 million won in damages.
The former professor had also received a prison sentence in a separate criminal case related to the sexual assault. In June 2024, the Seoul High Court increased their sentence to four years, up from the three-year term imposed by the trial court. The Supreme Court later upheld the conviction and sentence.
“The defendant repeatedly raped and forcibly molested the victim by taking advantage of her trust, respect and their own position,” the appellate court said. “The victim gave up her plans to attend graduate school because of the assaults, yet the defendant continues to deny the charges and makes unreasonable excuses.”
Prosecutors charged the former professor with sexually assaulting and molesting students from an academic association he oversaw, after drinking with them and taking them to a private office between January and March 2017.
The case came to light in March 2018, when a graduate reported the abuse to the university’s sexual ethics committee.
At the time, Sungshin Women’s University students posted protest notes around the professor’s office and campus facilities, demanding disciplinary action. The university dismissed the professor and filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors.
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 JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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