“I’m so angry. 8 years? Really? Just 8 years?” wrote Nana on her personal Instagram Story on December 6, reacting to the recent court ruling that upheld an 8-year prison sentence for a man in his 60s convicted of raping a 9-year-old girl. Along with her post, she shared a screenshot of the news article detailing the ruling, making her stance clear: the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
A 67-year-old man, identified as A, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl in 2023, with the Daejeon High Court, 1st Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Park Jin-hwan) upholding the original sentence on appeal.
According to the court, A lured the child, B (9), into his car by promising money, preventing her from leaving and subsequently committing sexual assault.
The prosecution argued that A posed a high risk of reoffending due to a prior sexual offense, for which he had served eight months in prison, and requested the court to impose electronic monitoring via a location-tracking device.
The first-instance court imposed an eight-year sentence, noting that the victim likely suffered severe psychological trauma. The court also cited A’s attempts to evade investigators, the issuance of an arrest warrant, his lack of remorse, and delayed acknowledgment of the crime as aggravating factors.
However, the court denied the electronic monitoring request, reasoning that A’s prior conviction occurred over 40 years ago, and he had no other history of sexual offenses.
A appealed, claiming the sentence was excessive, but the prosecution did not contest the original ruling. The appellate court dismissed the appeal, stating that the lower court’s judgment was fair and there were no new circumstances warranting a different sentence.
Online communities have been flooded with similar sentiments:
“How is 8 years enough for what he did to that child?”
“It’s like the court doesn’t care unless someone dies.”
“We need tougher sentencing for crimes against children. Period.”
Some netizens also pointed out the irony that a violent home invasion involving a celebrity may receive more public outcry than a child’s trauma, emphasizing the need to protect all victims equally.
Nana’s boldness in using her platform to speak out is being praised, with many commending her for raising awareness about judicial gaps in protecting children.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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