JMS teacher Jeong Myung-seok is sentenced to 17 years in prison.

[Anchor]
JMS President Chung Myung-seok, who was handed over to trial for sexually assaulting Goddesses, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Chung has denied the charges, saying the congregation was not brainwashed or irresistible, but the Supreme Court found all charges guilty and upheld the original ruling.

For more information, I'll connect you to a reporter.

Reporter Cha Jung-yoon, the second trial ruling against Jung has been finalized, right?

[Reporter]
Yes, the Supreme Court confirmed the original ruling this morning, which sentenced Jeong Myung-seok, the JMS religious leader, to 17 years in prison for sexual assault on Goddess Island.

In addition, it has been confirmed that a location-tracking electronic anklet will be attached for 15 years and an order to restrict employment in children and youth-related institutions and welfare facilities for the disabled for 10 years.

Chung calls himself a messiah for three years and eight months from February 2018, and Hong Kong, Australian and South Korean national goddesses are also accused of sexually assaulting or molesting three people.

In the first trial, Jeong was sentenced to 23 years in prison, but in the second trial, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison, six years less, due to his ability to testify.

Jeong has claimed that the victims were not brainwashed or unable to protest.

At the same time, he denied the charges, saying he had been preaching continuously that he was a person, not a god, and appealed to the second trial.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court dismissed all of Jeong's appeals and confirmed the sentence, saying there was no mistake in misunderstanding the legal principles in the judgment of the lower court.

Regarding the Supreme Court's ruling, the victim also welcomed the fact that there is justice after a long fight.

Maple, a Hong Kong national who is a victim of sexual assault, held a press conference and said she was happy that there would be no victims in the future, adding that she wanted to tell other victims to cheer up.

I'm Cha Jungyoon of YTN from the Ministry of Social Affairs.