Moon Taeil, former member of K-pop boy group NCT, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison following the first hearing over sex crime charges in June. On July 10 KST, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 dealt out the final decision against the 31-year-old public figure and two other defendants on the suspicion of aggravated quasi-rape.
Ex-NCT member Taeil sentenced after sex crime charges
In addition to the 3.5 years prison sentence, Taeil and his non-celebrity acquaintances (Mr Lee and Mr Hong) held responsible for the crime were ordered to complete 40 hours of sexual violence education. On top of that, the South Korean court has even formally banned them from seeking employment in fields related to children and or adolescents for five years.
The highly anticipated ruling follows yesteryear accusations that Taeil and the other two men sexually assaulted an intoxicated foreigner. Making matters even worse, the woman was in a state of unconsciousness at the time of the crime.
Since the three men involved were reported to have admitted to the crime amid legal proceedings, arrest warrant requests against them were rejected. As a result, the ex-NCT singer and the others were only taken into custody after the sentencing.
Taeil and accomplished dealt a lower prison sentence than prosecutors asked for
During the June 18 hearing, prosecutors requested a seven-year prison sentence for each accused individual. However, the final 3.5-year sentence aligned with the court’s consideration that the defendants were first-time offenders and the “victim did not wish to pursue punishment as favorable factors.”
The victim, who was ultimately revealed to be a Chinese national during the trial, is experiencing significant psychological trauma upon being assaulted in an unfamiliar place, according to the court. “The defendants admitted to the crime, and based on the evidence, they are found guilty. The victim was in a state of helplessness due to intoxication, and the crime was committed at Mr. Lee’s residence,” the statement added.