National Team’s Coach Caught Sexually Exploiting Underage Athlete For Over A Year

A national-level coach in South Korea was sentenced to five years of prison time for sexually exploiting a teenage athlete.

On August 28, KST, the Uijeongbu District Court found the 28-year-old national jump rope coach guilty of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses. Specifically, he was found guilty of violating Article 7, which prohibits sexual intercourse with a juvenile by means of deception.

The coach came under investigation in September 2021 by the Korean police, who found that he had sexually exploited a 16-year-old athlete multiple times between 2020 and 2021. It is believed that he raped the victim multiple times and manipulated her using abusive methods to continue their sexual relationship. He even threatened to tell her future husband about what had happened between them as a means to control her.

In court, the coach claimed that both parties had consented to a sexual relationship. But the court squashed the claim, noting that he abused his power and position as a coach to coerce the victim into prolonged exploitation.

Apart from the prison sentence, he has also been prohibited from working at facilities for minors or people with disabilities for three years. In addition, he was ordered to undergo 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program.