Gang-raped as a teen, she went to police — and was told the suspect was 'pitiful'

A gang assault case that occurred at a middle school eight years ago is drawing widespread attention after a prosecutors' supplementary investigation brought it to light.

The 1,500th episode of SBS's "That's Incredible," which aired Saturday, featured the story of Jeong Yeon-su (pseudonym, 23), who was gang-raped as a middle school student but had her case closed without referral to prosecutors by police.

Jeong had served as class president and was known for her bright, sociable personality. After suffering severe school violence at the hands of a group of perpetrators, her ordinary life fell apart.

People who knew Jeong at the time recalled the severity of what happened. "It's surprising this didn't get out, and even more surprising that the victim didn't die," they said, adding that those around her marveled that she had held on at all.

The alleged ringleader, identified only by the surname Kwon, was known from her teenage years for frequenting juvenile detention facilities and tormenting those around her. An acquaintance said Kwon was notorious throughout South Chungcheong Province. "There probably isn't a person in the region who doesn't know her," the acquaintance said. "She had a long-standing reputation for being cruel."

On the day of the incident, Kwon allegedly dragged Jeong to a public restroom and a younger student's home, directing her associates to assault and rape Jeong. She also allegedly filmed the attack and threatened to distribute the footage if Jeong reported it.

"I lived in constant fear every day," Jeong said. "Even after I moved, someone came up to me and said, 'I heard someone has nude photos of you — what kind of life have you been living?'"

In 2024, after coming of age, Jeong summoned the courage to file a police report — but the response was cold. She said she was particularly shaken by investigators' attitude during the process.

"When the officer saw my lawyer, he asked if she was a friend of mine — speaking informally, like 'Hey, you two friends?'" Jeong said. "He said he knew the perpetrator. And then he started off by saying, 'It's going to be hard to refer this case for prosecution.'"

The public defender assigned to Jeong's case also took issue with the investigators' conduct.

"There are cases where an investigator holds a preconceived view, but they don't usually show it to the victim or let it color the investigation," the public defender said. "But that officer was like that from the outset."

The assault charges were already beyond the statute of limitations and could not be prosecuted. Police also ruled there was insufficient evidence on the aggravated rape charge — the most serious allegation — and declined to refer the case to prosecutors.

The situation changed after prosecutors reviewed the case file and ordered a reinvestigation.

Following the reinvestigation, the ringleader and three accomplices were indicted last August on charges including aggravated rape and child abuse. In July this year, the ringleader received an eight-year prison sentence, while the other perpetrators were each sentenced to four years or more.

But when the SBS "That's Incredible" team tracked down the officer involved in the original investigation, the official reportedly continued to defend the perpetrator.

"Over the years we investigated, whenever I saw the perpetrator, she struck me as someone who couldn't take the lead on anything by herself," the officer said. "In a way, I feel sorry for her. Simply put, she was just a backdrop — someone who went along with things."

Experts who reviewed the case said investigative authorities must respond responsibly to ensure victims' voices are not buried.

"It cannot be denied that the prosecutors' supplementary investigation was something of a lifeline for the victim in this case," said Pyo Chang-won, a criminal psychology analyst. "It is a contradiction that crime victims must chase down evidence themselves, prove their own cases, and fight to have the truth established."