South Korean prosecutors are seeking a seven-year prison sentence for a man in his 20s who allegedly raped a teenage girl at a Jeju Island motel while claiming to perform an exorcism.
The case, presented to the Jeju District Court on July 17, charges the defendant with violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses. Authorities say he lured the underage victim through a mobile chat app and assaulted her on February 1.
Prosecutors allege the man not only raped the victim but also filmed the assault and used the footage to blackmail her. On February 3, he reportedly threatened to release the video to her family and friends if she did not comply with further demands, warning that he would “kill everyone around you.”
In court, the defendant admitted to the charges and expressed remorse but claimed he was unconscious during the attack. He attributed the incident to memory lapses he said he has suffered since childhood due to “spiritual possession.”
“When I regained consciousness after the exorcism, my clothes were off and the video had already been recorded,” he said. “I deeply regret my actions. I promise to seek treatment and never perform another exorcism.”
The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict and sentence at 10 a.m. on August 28. Prosecutors are also pushing for the defendant to undergo mandatory sexual violence prevention therapy, be listed in the national sex offender registry, and face a 10-year employment ban from all youth-related institutions following his prison term.
