High School Teacher Admits Having A Sexual Relationship With Her Student — Denies Any Abuse Took Place

A Highschool teacher admitted to having a habitual sexual relationship with her student.

On April 7, a High School teacher stood trial in a Daegu court on enhanced charges of child abuse. The High School teacher (32) is alleged to have had sex with her student 11 times in her car from May 2022 to the end of June 2022. The student was 17 at the time of the incident.

The teacher’s lawyer stated that their client admitted to having a sexual relationship with her student but denied that any abuse had occurred and stated that they would fight the charges in court. The lawyer claimed that the student was old enough to have made a determination on whether he wanted to have a consensual relationship with the teacher. The lawyer also stated they wanted to have the victim testify in the trial.

The key to the trial is whether the victim was mature enough to exercise sexual self-determination. During the settlement process (with the victim), they aren’t against appearing (in court).

— High School Teacher’s lawyer

To this, the court stated that because there were no debates on whether the sexual relationship took place, they didn’t feel it was necessary to have the victim stand trial and receive further harm. According to the court, regardless of the victim’s maturity, legally, he is still in his formative years.

The court cited precedent in a case last year in which, a 36-year-old man was sentenced to three years in prison for having sex with a 17-year-old woman before chastising the defendant for requesting to call the victim to the stand and questioned if she was truly repentant.

Why do you think The Youth Protection Act exists? According to law, minors under the age of 18 need to be protected. The defendant claims she is repentant, so why does she want to call the victim? If gender was reversed in this case, don’t you think it would be problematic? I question whether (the defendant) is truly repentant.

— Judge

The defendant’s lawyer stated that despite this, they would like to submit the opinions of the victim, even if by means of a letter, and that they would discuss requesting the victim as a final witness.

According to reports, this incident came to light when the teacher’s husband alleged that his wife had engaged in an improper relationship with the student and had also changed his grades on a citizen’s bulletin (epeople.co.kr). The High School has since fired the teacher.

Stay tuned for updates.