2026.10.30. The Fair Economy — Attorney Jung Cheol-seung, indicted for disclosing the identity of a victim in the sexual assault case involving the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-sun and for forcibly molesting a junior attorney, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on appeal and taken into custody in court.
The Seoul High Court's 4-2 Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Sung Ji-yong, with Judges Jeon Ji-won and Kim In-gyeom) on the 30th overturned the lower court's ruling and sentenced Jung — who was indicted on charges including forcible molestation causing injury, violation of confidentiality obligations under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and violation of the Personal Information Protection Act — to one year and six months in prison.
The court also ordered Jung to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program. The two cases had each received a one-year prison sentence at first instance but were combined for trial on appeal.
Jung is accused of repeatedly posting content on his personal social media around August 2021 that contained information identifying victim B in the Park Won-sun sexual assault case. He is also accused of molesting and injuring junior attorney A, whom he met at a wine bar in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on March 27, 2023, while serving as an auditor for the Korean Bar Association.
"The nature of the forcible molestation is not minor, and he inflicted secondary harm by disclosing information without the victim's consent," the court said, criticizing Jung. "The circumstances following the crime are also poor, with attacks and criticism against the victim continuing even during the appellate trial."
The court added, "In both cases, we regret that Jung did not reflect on his actions and consider how much pain the victim must have suffered." After the sentencing, Jung pleaded, "Please show leniency so I can face the Supreme Court review without detention," but the court rejected this, saying, "We believe detention in court is appropriate."
Jung's side plans to review whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Article 59 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes prohibits disclosing a sexual assault victim's identity and private information. The court found that the social media posts contained detailed information — including the victim's work period and the timing of promotions and job transfers — that made it possible to identify the victim. Jung's side argued that the information was already public, but the court did not accept this.
Regarding the defamation charge under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, the court found that Jung's posts clearly differed from facts officially confirmed through a National Human Rights Commission Of The Republic Of Korea decision and a related court ruling, and therefore ruled them false. Jung's side argued the posts were intended for the public interest, but the court did not accept this, saying that even granting the purity of the motive, the means must be appropriate, and the extent of harm was severe.
Regarding the charge of violating the Personal Information Protection Act, the court found Jung guilty, ruling that information he learned in the course of representing a client in litigation cannot be considered public information. Jung was accused of disclosing on social media information about the victim that he learned while serving as legal representative for the bereaved family of former Mayor Park Won-sun.
The sexual assault case involving former Mayor Park is one in which his criminal conduct was officially confirmed through an investigation by the National Human Rights Commission Of The Republic Of Korea and a court ruling.
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