It wasn’t the 15 the prosecutors were asking for, but 10 years will have to do for Pvt. K.
In addition to the time in prison, he must complete 80 hours of compulsory therapy, and his name and personal information will be made public for 10 years.
Said the judge:
“The victim had to shudder with fear and sexual insult at her own home while the accused satisfied his sexual desire through three hours of violent and abnormal assault,” Judge Park In-sik of the Euijeongbu District Court said in a verdict.
(HT to Cory)
Granted, for Korea, 10 years is a heavy sentence (and one of the heaviest sentences ever meted out to a US serviceman in Korea), but it’s still disconcerting that this sadistic animal will be just 31 when he gets out. Assuming he does the full sentence, which he might not—just ask Kenneth Markle.
UPDATE: Yonhap notes that the response to this case has been rather extraordinary. It moved very quickly, and K got hit with a heavy sentence—the heaviest since Kenneth Markle, in fact—despite the fact that he confessed to everything early on, something courts often reward defendants for.
Yonhap also said the sentence compares with sentences handed out to Korean offenders, citing two recent cases: a man who got seven years for raping his 11-year-old daughter, and a man who got 10 for aggravated rape while he was wearing an ankle monitor.
One of the civic groups was pleased, but noted that they would have to wait until the appeal, as many GIs try to get their sentence lowered by attempting to negotiate with the victim ahead of the appeal.
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Not really deserving of the HT, I just follow Yonhap’s twitter feed, but appreciate it.
I figured ten years was about right in a previous discussion and I do honestly hope he serves every day of it. Like I said before, the sentencing was a fine line for the judge and now I’ll be really interested in seeing the reaction from the general populous (not the lynch mob).
As for K, I hope the therapy is legitimate and actually makes him confront his crimes (what kind of psychiatric facilities do they have at the foreigner prison? I can’t imagine it’s all that extensive). Like you notes, he’ll still be a young man when he gets out and a dangerous one if not actually rehabilitated.
“his name and personal information will be made public for 10 years”
Starting when? Wouldn’t reporters be free to name him right now?
Lets see: If you subtract the girls age of 18 years from the GI, which is 21, that gives you 3, plus the 10 year sentence is 13 years. Father who raped daughter is presumably in his early 40′s, lets say, 41 years old minus his daughter’s age of 11 years, equals 30 plus a 7 year sentence, no wait… that doesn’t make a bit of sense either.
I am at least thankful they are both locked away –as they both should be.
I find it mildly confusing how many Koreans believe that the current SOFA is unfair – yet when an American service member is handed over to the Korean justice system, he is given a 10-year sentence in a case where he apparently broke into the young woman’s apartment, raped her and terrorized her. Do they not realize that if he had been tried in a US military court-martial, his sentence would likely have been twice the sentence he got in Korea? A few years ago a 57-year old repeat offender rapist abducted, beat and raped an 8-year old girl and damaged her insides so severely she will have to wear a colostomy bag for the rest of her life – and he got 12 years. Why is rape treated relatively mildly in Korea?
Well, this article goes over some of the points made by those who think the SOFA is unfair:
http://www.sisainlive.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=11454
Yu Bum Suk — Stars & Stripes has been, including today:
http://www.stripes.com/news/u-s-soldier-gets-10-years-in-rape-of-korean-teenage-girl-1.159407
If wasn’t for threatening with sharpen object and stealing just $4.50, he would got 3~4 years. Korea is only country in the world where you can get away with rape & murder if you’re lucky and powerful enough to bribe judge.
#7 – There are quite a few others, I’m afraid.
His name’s been out there for a while: http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/korea/protests-expected-as-rape-trial-for-u-s-soldier-begins-in-s-korea-1.158216
I put up how sentencing in Korea works in the previous post on this topic. Personally, I am glad to see the court exercising restraint and stop itself at 10 years. I was so sure that it would go for something like 12.
No. He entered a residence at night, and caused rape with physical injury. The minimum for him would have been 5 years even without any sharp object or stealing.
So the Korean guy got 7 years for raping his 11 year old daughter…..fucking disgusting system.
#11 really?
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abortion-allowed-quebec-parents-to-cover-up-repeated-rapes-of-12-year-old-d
Only 8 years in Canada for more or less the same crime, plus getting her pregnant and making her have an abortion. The mother only got 3-4 for going along with and encouraging it.
#12,
Using that crime to spread anti-abortion propaganda? That’s pretty low.
#13 yeah it is, but it was the most recent news report I’d found. There is a lot of noise in the news right now about some US politician making a stupid comment about rape and incest.
To thekorean – you can explain the “sentencing” system all you want. In Korea, violent crimes against women are trivialized. The emotional trauma caused in a rape far exceeds the physical trauma in most cases, and yet for some reason the fact that a rapist causes few if any outward signs of injury, that is a mitigating factor in the sentencing – that is bull! Long after the rapist is freed, his victim is still suffering, sometimes irreversibly. And if the woman happens to be a prostitute, the Korean system is even less severe, unless you happen to kill her as well.
I will keep mentioning the case of the 57-year old Korean man who received only a 12-year sentence after raping and maiming for life an 8-year old girl. He was a repeat offender. 12 years???? Totally idiotic! Explain it all you want. Sentences in Korea for violent crimes are a farce, which makes the whole issue of Koreans demanding jurisdiction over GIs for violent crimes laughable. Because the GI will receive a lighter sentence in Korea than if the US military tried him.
‘In Korea, violent crimes against women are trivialized.’
it was the same way here in the states until the woman’s movement started in the 70s but its good to see you defenfing korean women,
white guy.
To pawikirogii –
First, I guess you are unfamiliar with a few US Supreme Court cases where the death penalty was determined to be excessive in cases of rape of an adult (Coker v. Georgia-1977), and children (Kennedy v. Louisiana – 2008). In those cases, the US Supreme Court had to intervene to prevent convicted rapists from receiving the death penalty for rape – notice…not 10-12 years in prison – death. Back then, the potential penalties in some states were even more severe than now.
Second, you pointing out that things were similar in the States until the 1970′s is kind of pointless. So, the US trivialized crimes against women 40+ years ago? SO?? Actually, it really only tends to support my post, that despite being one of the most robust economies in the world, and despite outward appearances of equality between the genders, South Korea is still 40 years behind where the US is with regard to punishing its criminals for crimes against women.
Finally, unless you know me personally, it’s a bit “racist” to some extent to refer to me as “white guy”. Do you presume that all Americans are “white guys”? Do you presume to somehow know I am not Hispanic, or part Asian, or of African descent?
To Wiessej,
The guy is a tit, do not engage. But to be fair to him, here or in the US, now or 40 years ago, he would still be a tit. So at least he does provide one comparison that works.
no, it is not pointless cuz you trying to make it seem there’s something peculiar about korean men. you needed to be reminded that these kinds of things are a man-thing and not a korean man thing. and dont try to school me about a time period you werent even alive to witness. when a woman made an accusation of rape, she was often treated like she was the one who caused it with myriads of questions about her sex life. sound familiar? man-thing, sir. not korean man thing, ok?
#7 and 11, remember that the big difference here is that these guys probably won’t get parole. In a country like Canada they might get 20 years but would be eligible for parole after 6 2/3. The plunger raper might be declared a dangerous offender and stay locked up for life … maybe. Even then he’s eligible to appeal after a while. So while the sentences may seem on the light side, with no parole they’re similar to what they’d get in most western countries, if not possibly a little harsher.
Hopefully, 10 years is enough time for this asshole to sit back and contemplate what a horrible crime he committed. That poor girl. From what I’m reading here, rape is under-punished in most countries. Recidivism is so high with sexual abusers, I for one support ‘nipping it in the bud’ at least after the 2nd offense.
#20 YBS,
I’m constantly amazed at the sentences here. Usually a life sentence involves 10 years and then parole. Even for the guy who killed his own three kids (in an apparent rage against his ex) the judicial authorities were seriously considering allowing him to have chaperoned visits to the outside.
And don’t get me started on the Picton case, where a serial rapist/murderer was able to pick off society’s undesirable women (almost all in the sex trade) for years .
Maybe the sentencing is more humane than in the States, but it seems to me that, while rape and other heinous crimes are punished, they’re not nearly as severe on the offender as in the States.
#17 weiss,
Another reason for you to have a heavy perusal of the archives is to familiarize yourself with the folks who contribute here regularly. Pawi does bring up sometimes valid points, but he’s had a hard-on for Whitey for some time. If you read the archives you may very well quickly reach a like conclusion.
yep, and all of you got a hard-on for the korean man. dont forget that part.
But Canada boasts 1/3 of the murder rate as the United States.
In the theories of sentencing, there are largely two branches of philosophy — retributive and deterrent. Retributive sentencing people are more concerned about getting the proper revenge out of the criminal. Deterrent sentencing people are more concerned about keeping crimes low.
I am firmly in the deterrent side of things. I find that retributive justice is like a porno for morality — the thirst for vengeance demands more and more. And lenient sentencing is not only more humane; it is actually MUCH better at deterrence than harsh sentencing.
what is the recidivism rate in ‘soft on crime’ korea? i’ll bet it’s much lower than ‘tough on crime’ america. i hope korea does not make a mistake here because tough sentences often lead to more crime. korea does not need to be exactly like the west.
Sorry, Pawikirogii –
It’s your prejudice that has twisted this into a Korean man thing. My post isn’t about Korean men versus American (you call them white) men. It’s about the Korean LEGAL system being about as ridiculous as a screen door on a submarine! You can compare today’s Korea to the America of the 1970′s, and it is pointless, despite what you may think. You could just as easily compare it to the England of the 1500′s. Pick a country, pick a decade or century that was worse than today…here…in Korea. When you say that things were this way in the US 40+ years ago, all you are saying is that Korea is about 40 years behind the US’s legal system, because it was more than 40 years ago when the US supposedly treated women the same as Korean’s judicial system treats women in this day and age. You have called me “white” without knowing my ethnic background – ignorant. You have scolded me, saying, “and dont try to school me about a time period you werent even alive to witness.” NEWSFLASH!!! I have grandchildren! I was driving in the 1970′s in the US. I lived it. But even if I was only in my 20′s – you could be in your 70′s and it’s entirely possible that your ignorance could prevent you from understanding 1970′s American politics as much as me or someone else. I remember very clearly following the Watergate debates on television, and I watched while Nixon announced his resignation live on television. I followed the news intently as Ford tried to hold onto the White House against then-Governor Jimmy Carter. I celebrated the US bicentennial. So, try not to make so many idiotic assumptions, ok?
Cactus, by ‘here’ I take it you mean Canada? How the RCMPigs can be so good at sparing foreign leaders embarrassment when they visit and so ineffective at creating a sense of public safety is just beyond me.
when you get older you’ll understand. as for american men meaning white, you show your true colors; obama american. is he white? jesse jackson american. is he white?
###
an italian american lady so angry at seeing korean signs in her neighborhood, she started a petition to ban signs in foreign languages. she withdrew this petition when she discovered that. the same thing was tried on her community when they (italians) started arriving here in the states.
you understand now?
ps all your writings are about korean men. who you think you’re fooling?
To pawikirogii –
I think it is safe to say your first language is definitely not English, and you are obviously not understanding much of what is being written here. At #16 above, you ended your post by referring to me as “white guy”. Why do you think I am a white guy?? You clearly don’t understand that it was me telling YOU that YOU were were being a bit racial to assume that all Americans are white – silly. DUH! I know Jesse Jackson is not white…nor is Obama…
And again, my posts did not focus on Korean men. They have been about the Korean “injustice” system. Please re-read my posts. Use a dictionary and maybe some translation software to make sure you have a better understanding of what I am writing. It’s really not possible to criticize someone when you aren’t really understanding what they are writing.
ok but you sound like a white guy ET living in korea. you cry all day about some korean giving you a damn fork! get over yourself. you’re well treated in korea. 더이상 울지마. 야호!!
Non-sequitur/red herring alert.
In 7+ years, nobody has ever coaxed a logical reply or an honest admission of error from pawikirogii. Good luck with that, weissj!
Oh, I don’t know, given the irony of Wiener telling others not to make idiotic assumptions, I think they make a perfect pair.
To Arghaeri – When I was growing up, my father used to remind his children that as we go through life, we will discover that there are more horses’ a$$es in this world than there are horses. I want to thank you for reminding me how true his words were.
Good article in Stars & Stripes on disparity in rape sentencing.
Read the rest here:
http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/korea/korea-rape-sentences-each-case-has-unique-set-of-circumstances-1.159654
You’re welcome i am most gratified to know that I have prompted you into your moment of self reflection.
I am glad that you now realise that assuming there is great envy amongst non-US posters, and who assumes his connections to the top brass make his opinions infinitely better informed than any other commenter here, and can’t take any mold humor, is indeed a complete ass.
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