Coach jailed for sexual exploitation of underage athlete

A coach for the national jump rope team was sentenced to five years in jail for his yearlong sexual exploitation of a teenage athlete, in a ruling Wednesday by a local court.

The Uijeongbu District Court found the 28-year-old defendant guilty of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses, specifically Article 7 that prohibits sex with a juvenile by a deceptive scheme. He was also banned from working at facilities for juveniles or people with disabilities for three years and ordered to undergo 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.

The court declined the defendant's claim that both parties consented to the sexual relationship, determining he abused his position as a coach to force the victim into prolonged exploitation.

Police launched an investigation into the matter in September 2021 and found that the defendant committed the crimes between 2020 and 2021. The victim was 16 at the time. It is believed that the victim had been subject to multiple instances of rape and manipulation by the defendant, who alternated between compliments and abusive language to control the victim.

The investigation found that the coach had told the victim she would have to maintain their exploitative relationship even if one of them is romantically involved with another person, and threatened to tell her future husband about what had happened between them.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)