A man in his 30s who attempted to kidnap a high school girl in a residential area in broad daylight has received a suspended prison sentence.

According to the Busan District Court’s Western Branch on October 23, Judge Kim Joo-gwan sentenced the man, identified as Mr. A, to 1 year and 6 months in prison, suspended for 3 years, for charges including attempted sexual assault, attempted abduction, and inflicting injury.

In addition to the sentence, the court ordered Mr. A to complete 40 hours of a sex offender rehabilitation program, imposed a 3-year employment restriction from any institution involving children, adolescents, or individuals with disabilities, and placed him under probation. The court also banned any contact with the victim or their family during the probation period.

The incident occurred around 4:05 PM on July 1 in Saha-gu, Busan, when Mr. A approached a high school girl, referred to as B, from behind and grabbed both her arms in an attempt to drag her into a nearby alley. The girl screamed and resisted before managing to escape. She sustained injuries to her back and waist, later diagnosed as requiring three weeks of recovery.

After fleeing the scene, Mr. A remained in hiding for five days before voluntarily surrendering to police.

Investigation revealed that Mr. A felt “sexual urges” upon seeing the victim in a school uniform and attempted to sexually assault her.

In court, Mr. A’s lawyer argued that the crime was not premeditated, claiming Mr. A acted impulsively after discovering his girlfriend had gone on a date with a younger man. Seeing the schoolgirl, he allegedly acted out of resentment toward his girlfriend.

The court acknowledged the sexual motivation behind the attempted assault, stating, “The defendant saw the victim in uniform, felt sexual arousal, and attempted to touch her body. The victim clearly suffered psychological trauma and distress.”

However, the judge noted several mitigating factors when determining the sentence:

  • The victim agreed to settle and expressed no desire for further punishment.
  • Mr. A and his family moved homes to avoid any contact with the victim.
  • Mr. A had no prior record of sexual offenses.

As a result, the court opted for a suspended sentence with conditions rather than immediate imprisonment.

Sources: nate