Army soldier gets suspended sentence for assaulting, groping junior troops

A man in his 20s who assaulted and sexually groped junior soldiers while serving in the Army has received a suspended prison sentence.

The 13th Criminal Division of the Uijeongbu District Court, presided over by Judge Kim Seong-sik, sentenced the man, identified only as A, to one year and two months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of forcible indecent acts against military personnel and assault.

The court also ordered A to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures and 120 hours of community service, and barred him from working at institutions serving children, adolescents or people with disabilities for three years.

A was indicted for assaulting and sexually groping two junior soldiers at an Army unit in northern Gyeonggi Province between September and December 2024.

He was found to have picked fights with one junior soldier, identified as B, struck him on the face and elsewhere, groped his buttocks and kissed him on the cheek.

He also groped another junior soldier, identified as C, on the chest on three separate occasions, saying, "Why are you so big?"

"The victims must have suffered considerable sexual humiliation and mental anguish as a result of the defendant's actions," the court said, adding that he had made no effort to help them recover and had not received their forgiveness.

However, the court said it took into account that the defendant had admitted wrongdoing and shown remorse during trial, that the degree of the indecent acts was relatively less severe, and that he had no prior convictions carrying a fine or heavier penalty.