27 More Years Behind Bars? Prosecutors Deliver a Stunning New Demand for JMS Leader Jeong Myeong-seok
SEOUL — South Korean prosecutors are seeking another lengthy prison sentence for Christian Gospel Mission leader Jeong Myeong-seok, asking a court to impose 27 years in prison over allegations that he sexually assaulted or molested 16 female followers in approximately 80 incidents.
The demand was made Monday, Sept. 7, during the final hearing at the Daejeon District Court. Prosecutors also requested a 10-year employment ban at institutions serving children, adolescents and people with disabilities, 20 years of electronic monitoring, and five years of probation.
Jeong, who is 81, is already serving a 17-year prison sentence after South Korea's Supreme Court finalized his conviction in January 2025 for separate sexual offenses involving three female followers.
Prosecutors allege repeated abuse of followers
According to prosecutors, the latest case concerns alleged offenses committed between 2018 and 2022, including at the JMS training center in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province.
Prosecutors allege that Jeong exploited his position as the leader of a religious organization and indoctrinated young female followers into believing he was the “Messiah,” leaving them psychologically unable to resist him. They argued that his position of authority and the alleged repeated nature of the offenses should be treated as aggravating circumstances.
KBS and Korea JoongAng Daily reported the same core allegations, including the prosecution's claim that 16 female members were targeted in around 80 incidents.
He is already serving 17 years
The latest prosecution request comes while Jeong is already incarcerated under a separate conviction.
In January 2025, South Korea's Supreme Court upheld a 17-year prison sentence for Jeong after he was convicted of raping or sexually assaulting two foreign followers and one South Korean follower on 23 occasions between February 2018 and September 2021.
The Supreme Court also upheld a 15-year electronic monitoring order and a 10-year ban from working at child-related facilities in that case.
Jeong had previously served another 10-year prison sentence for sexual offenses against four female followers between 2001 and 2006. He was released in February 2018 — the same year prosecutors say the offenses in the current case began.
The JMS case became internationally known
Jeong's case gained international attention following the 2023 Netflix documentary “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal,” which examined four Korean religious leaders accused of exploiting followers.
The documentary devoted multiple episodes to JMS and Jeong. Netflix describes the series as an examination of four Korean leaders who claimed to be prophets, with former followers describing allegations against them.
The documentary's release generated considerable controversy in South Korea. In March 2023, a Seoul court rejected JMS's attempt to block the documentary, saying the producers appeared to have relied on substantial material supporting the claims presented in the program.
Jeong continues to deny the allegations
Despite the prosecution's request for a 27-year sentence, the latest charges have not resulted in a final verdict.
Jeong has denied the allegations throughout the trial. The Korea Herald reported that his defense argued he had no physical contact with the women and disputed the prosecution's claim that they were psychologically incapable of resisting.
The defense's closing arguments were conducted behind closed doors to protect the alleged victims.
The Daejeon District Court is scheduled to announce its decision on Oct. 1.
What happens next?
The prosecution's 27-year request does not mean Jeong has been sentenced to another 27 years. It is the punishment prosecutors are asking the court to impose.
The next major development will therefore be the court's October 1 verdict, which will determine whether Jeong is convicted on the latest charges and what sentence, if any, will be imposed.
The case also puts renewed attention on the long-running legal saga surrounding the JMS leader, who has now faced multiple criminal cases involving sexual offenses against female followers.
For now, the question is no longer simply how long prosecutors want Jeong Myeong-seok to remain behind bars — but whether the court will agree that the latest allegations warrant another decades-long sentence.
WWC ONE MEDIA M.J.E