College student handed suspended jail term for ‘revenge porn’

A college student was given a suspended jail term for “revenge porn” and assault of his ex-girlfriend.

The Busan District Court sentenced the 24-year-old to a six-month jail term suspended for two years for violation of the law on “special cases concerning the punishment of sexual crimes.”

The judge also ordered him to undertake 80 hours of community service and 24 hours of classes for treatment of sex offenders.

The offender sent video footage of him and his girlfriend having sex to her acquaintance after she broke up with him at a bar in Busan around 9 p.m. on April 26 last year.

A month later, he assaulted her during an argument.

“There is a risk that the video can be distributed to others, and once that happens, the victim may suffer irrevocable personal damage,” the judge said.

The judge said the victim may have been psychologically traumatized, sexually humiliated and mortified, but the offender did not compensate for the damages and was not forgiven.

The judge noted, however, the 24-year-old appears to have committed the crime on impulse while under the influence of alcohol, has no previous criminal record and is expected to improve his behavior.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)