Drunk defense rejected: Man gets 2 years for child sex abuse in South Korea

A South Korean court has sentenced a 50-year-old man to two years in prison for sexually assaulting two minors and an adult. The defendant, identified as Mr. Lee, had attempted to use alcohol intoxication as a defense, claiming he was not in his right mind after drinking seven bottles of soju.

Lee was accused of forcibly molesting two children, aged 13 and 14, in a karaoke room in December. He also faced charges for molesting an adult woman in November while she was looking at a store. His defense argued that his severe intoxication prevented him from properly assessing his actions during the assaults on the minors.

“

I drank seven bottles of soju from the morning and was not in my right mind.

However, the Gwangju District Court's criminal division rejected Lee's defense. The court noted that Lee had approached a child three days prior to the assaults, offering to buy them cigarettes, indicating a pre-existing intent to commit sexual offenses. The court also highlighted Lee's long-standing struggle with alcohol dependency, dating back to his thirties, which had led to previous convictions for violent crimes.

The court stated that Lee had not received forgiveness from the victims, underscoring the severity of his actions. The ruling emphasizes the court's stance against using intoxication as a valid excuse for sexual offenses, particularly when evidence suggests premeditation and a pattern of harmful behavior.

“

The defendant had the intention to commit sexual assault, as evidenced by his approach to a child three days prior to the incident, offering to buy them cigarettes.