Amid ‘The Crucible’ media blitz, judge apologizes to student victims

Posted on : 2011-09-29 10:40 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The judge’s suspended sentence for a principal convicted of sexually abusing children with disabilities has been met with public outrage
 Sept. 28.
(Yonhap News)
Sept. 28. (Yonhap News)

By Heo Jae-hyun 

 

“Personally, I would like to apologize to the victimized students of Gwangju Inhwa School. I sympathize with the victims’ suffering.”

Lee Han-ju, the Gwangju High Court judge who presided over the second trial in the sexual assault case that inspired the book and film “The Crucible,” issued words of apology for the victims of the incident. This comes at a time of intense criticism of the court among people who saw the recently released film.

Lee, who is currently a presiding judge with Seoul High Court, spoke to the Hankyoreh in two telephone interviews on Monday and Tuesday. In the interview, Lee explained that because the victims had withdrawn their accusation after reaching an agreement with the perpetrators, he was obliged to deliver a suspended sentence to the school‘s principal, but that it was “very painful” to do so. The principal, identified by the surname Kim, died in 2010.

In the first trial in 2006, Gwangju District Court sentenced Principal Kim to five years in prison for sexual assault against students. But the judge in the second trial in 2008 reduced the sentence to two years and six months suspended for three years, with a fine of three million won ($2,538). The courtroom scenes in film show the second trial.

Following the first trial, the perpetrators persuaded the victims and their family members into accepting an agreement with compensation just before the second trial.

Lee said, “Because the victims reached an agreement with the assailants and a violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual abuse, which was the accusation against the perpetrators, is an offense subject to complaint, any grounds for state punishment evaporated.”

“In a situation where I was unable to issue an imprisonment sentence, I was forced to issue a suspended sentence,” Lee said.

Lee also expressed anger toward the perpetrators of the sexual assault, whom he called “terrible people who should never be forgiven.”

Through the interviews, Lee expressed his apologies to the victims at Gwangju Inhwa School. He also said he recalled the people picketing at Gwangju High Court.

Lee has drawn attention with his progressive stance over the years. While working at Gwangju High Court in 2008, he requested a constitutionality review on the death penalty. He presided over the “Osonghoe” espionage trial, delivering a not-guilty ruling, and he has been known to apologize to victims in the courtroom.

Meanwhile, police said they would reopen the investigation in response to seething public opinion.

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said Wednesday that it would work with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency to set up a special investigation team and investigate all allegations made to date in order to ensure the human rights protections and safety of the remaining disabled students at Gwangju Inhwa School. The team is to carry out its investigation with a focus on additional cases of sexual assault by the accused teachers, the appropriateness of management and oversight by presiding administrative authorities, and structural problems and improprieties within the school.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) also said it would undertake an examination some time next month of the living conditions of students with disabilities at 41 special schools with dormitories nationwide.

  

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

 

 

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