The District Court of Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, today sentenced the founder of the South Korean sect Christian Gospel Mission, Jung Myung-seok, to 23 years in prison for crimes of sexual abuse and assault against followers of the group.
Jung, 78, was accused of raping and sexually assaulting two former worshippers of the cult, of Hong Kong and Australian nationality, for which the prosecution was asking for 30 years in prison.
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Headquarters of South Korean sect featured in Netflix documentary searched
- Written by: EFE Seoul
Headquarters of South Korean sect featured in Netflix documentary searched
Their allegations, for which Jung, who considers himself a messiah, remained in pre-trial detention, were captured in the recent documentary In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.
The sect, also known as Jesus Morning Star (JMS) or Providence, tried unsuccessfully to prevent the broadcast of this series produced by Netflix and the South Korean network MBS that describes crimes committed by four religious figures, including Jung, to whom the documentary dedicates four of its eight chapters.
The release of In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal preceded at least three other testimonies from JMS supporters, who also reported sexual abuse.
Jung was already in prison for 10 years, until 2018, after courts convicted him of raping and committing other sexual abuse of several members of the sect and embezzlement.
- South Korea
- Netflix