The trial repeatedly denied rape charges, as it was known that a pastor in her 60s charged with harassing and molesting female believers went to the victims to end an agreement.

At the first trial of the appeals trial held at the hearing of the 1st Criminal Justice (Deputy Justice Kim Seong-ju) of the Jeonju Tribunal of the Gwangju High Court in the morning of today (5th), Mr. A's lawyer said, We need to judicially determine whether we can punish them."

Mr. A, who ran a church in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, is accused of sexually assaulting two Shinto believers seven times in churches and villas from 2013 to 2018. It was known to those who refused to commit crimes such as "I do it with God's love" and "This way I will go to heaven."

In addition, it has also been revealed that seven Shintos have been sexually molested 10 times until last year. One Shinto was confirmed to have been sexually assaulted after being sexually assaulted. In addition, two of the victims were minors at the time, and there were cases where the mother and daughter were molested.
The trial court sentenced Mr. A to eight years in prison, saying, "I am not reflecting on this as an unacceptable excuse." However, Mr. A appealed that the judge misjudged the facts and made an excessive judgment. The public's call for Mr. A's punishment has not faded, as it is known that Mr. A's wife went to the victims unilaterally on the 2nd before going to the court of appeals to make a second offense and end the agreement.

Civic groups such as Iksan Women's Telephone held a press conference in front of Jeonju District Law and said, "The sexual violence in the church is likely to be concealed because of the power imbalance between the pastor and the believer. Through punishment, we should sound the alarm against religious sexual violence." Mr. A's wife was also strongly criticized for saying, "It is a very serious threat to the victims of sexual assaulters and it will cause them mental pain."

Mr. A's next trial will be held on July 10th.

This is'News Pick'.

(Photo = Yonhap News)