New audit data reveals 70% of sex offenders received shorter sentences after writing "reflection" letters raising doubts about Seungri's sentence

Article: "Will my sentence be reduced if I write a reflection letter?"... Seungri whose sentence was halved after "reflecting.."

Source: Hankyung

New audit data is raising doubts about Seungri's "halved" sentence.

"However, the accuser shows a remorseful attitude..." is the most used word when it comes to sex crime rulings. According to a 2021 national audit, 70.9% of all sex offender defendants had their sentences commuted for "serious reflection" and 30.3% for "no history of criminal punishment."

This is largely because sentencing standards for sex crimes contain very vague standards of "true reflection" as a mitigation factor. In some cases, after committing a crime, offenders continue to submit "reflection" letters to the court in order to receive shorter sentences. For example, Cho Joo-bin, who was the main culprit in the Nth room incident, submitted over 100 "reflection" letters to the court. 

According to the Department of Creative Writing, there are even companies that specialize in writing "reflective" texts. After a crime, sex offenders will even try to prove "true reflection" by faking sponsorships to women's organizations or sexual violence counseling centers.

In particular, regarding former Big Bang Seungri's halved sentence to 1 year to 6 months, Dr. Seung Jae-hyun of the Korea Institute of Criminal Justice told Hankyung, "True reflection after a crime is something anyone can do. However, the most central and key opinion, the victim's voice, is missing." Accordingly, a bill that proposes that judges are required to listen to victims opinions when preparing a sentence has been introduced. The bill would allow victims to express their opinions in writing or directly at the witness interrogation or trial.

Democratic lawmaker Song Ki-heon who introduced the bill explained, "the victims tears must be wiped away through sentencing standards that consider victim's point of view and offer protection."

A judge from the Seoul Central District Court told Hankyung, "Personally, I don't care whether or not a criminal submits multiple reflection letters to the court. True reflection is not a factor that can greatly influence or reduce a sentence. In sex crime trials, there are even defendants who commit secondary harm by blaming victims."

Despite these explanations, the public is still in deep anger. An office worker (28), told Hankyung, "I always have deep doubts when a criminal writes a reflection letter claiming they've "reflected" and won't commit the crime again."

1. [+568, -7] A country full of trash..!!
2. [+502, -5] F***ing crazy judge!
3. [+356, -4] The power of private attorneys and large law firms..
4. [+193, -0] Seungri is even more trash and more evil than Jung Joon Young and Choi Jong-hun. So how is his sentence lower than those two? 
5. [+135, -0] Seungri is the main criminal in Burning Sun but he got his sentence halved to 1 year and 6 months? There are 9 charges there! That he admitted and claimed to have "reflected" on but just because he appealed he got his sentence halved? Just goes to show the trial was for show ~~
6. [+133, -1] Seungri and Park Yoochun are one of the worst thugs in the entertainment industry. He ran away to the army and because of this case, exposed the level of judge ba$tards in our country. The Korean legal community is rotten, it's at the level of underdeveloped countries. 
7. [+89, -0] Our sentencing laws are seriously trash. Why are judges passing rulings based on reflection? And saying they asked forgiveness for the victim and they accepted it? What does forgiveness have to do with their crimes? There have been so many cases from murders, r*pes, special assaults, robberies where victims and their families cannot the escape the shock and live in fear and tears. So what gives the judge the right to unilaterally decide on their own? How are these judges who know nothing about social justice and worldwide laws getting picked? 
8. [+62, -0] Both Yang Hyun Suk and Seungri cut the tail way too easily...who's behind YG? 
9. [+35, -0] This is exactly why we need AI judges. These are not kids that are capable of reflection. The only way to distinguish truth vs. lies is through clear cut and fair rulings by AI. 
10. [+34, -0] If they're really that remorseful, shouldn't the reflection letters be going to victims? Why are they writing to the judges?
11. [+16, -0] This is the level of Korean laws. We punish powerless citizens with 1 million won fines for calling someone a "kkondae" on the internet but chaebols and politicians can use their money and power to commute their sentences. What a great democratic country!
12. [+7, -0] Ah ~ our laws are getting more and more sleazy ㅋㅋ f*ck