[News Today] CULT LEADER SENTENCED TO 17 YRS

[LEAD]
The Supreme Court has upheld a 17-year prison term for Jeong Myeong-seok, president of Christian Gospel Mission, also known as JMS. He was convicted of raping his followers. The court recognized that the victims were indoctrinated into helplessness. The victims welcomed the decision.

[REPORT]
Jeong Myeong-seok, the leader of Christian Gospel Mission or Jesus Morning Star cult, was worshiped as the savior by its followers.

The prosecution indicted him for using his religious authority to sexually assault or harass three female followers for roughly three years and seven months since 2018.

The lower court sentenced him to 23 years in prison, but the appeals court, although recognizing his guilt, shortened his sentence to 17 years because the audio files of his crimes were not admitted as evidence.

In claiming his innocence, Jeong said that he had preached that he was not God, but a human being, and that the victims were neither brainwashed nor incapable of resisting. But the court did not accept his argument.

The Supreme Court agreed with the appellate court.

The highest court rejected Jeong's appeal and upheld the appellate court's sentence of 17 years in prison and 15 years of wearing an electronic anklet.

The preceding court concluded that the victims were psychologically incapable of resisting Jeong's actions because they believed that his crimes were religiously necessary or that they were in a state of mental confusion. The Supreme Court agreed with the original court's ruling.

The victims, who have been waging a long legal battle, welcomed the Supreme Court's decision.

Maple / Victim
The answer has been given and there really is justice. It can be guaranteed that there will not be any more victims from now.

Jeong is currently undergoing a separate trial for sexually assaulting ten other female followers.