April 23, 2009: Supreme Court Upholds Jeong's 10 Year Sentence for Rape

On April 23, 2009 Jeong ran out of appeals as the Supreme Court of Korea upheld the 10 year sentence handed down by a lower court on February 10 which added 4 years to the original 6 years handed to Jeong on August 12, 2008. While the Supreme Court's decision came as no surprise to those familiar with the case, cultists hoping for a miracle were left disappointed. One American member I spoke to expressed shock at the verdict despite the two previous guilty verdicts. The following article from the Korea Times is one of the many article published when the decision was announced, and below that a link to our forums where the news is being discussed. 

Court Upholds 10-Yr Sentence on Cult Leader

"The Supreme Court upheld a 10 year-imprisonment sentence on Jung Myung-suk, the leader of the JMS (Jesus Morning Star) religious cult Thursday for the rape and sexual assault of five Korean female followers. Jung was indicted for sexually assaulting the victims between 2003 and 2006 in Hong Kong, Malaysia and China. A lower court convicted him on three counts sentencing him to a six-year-prison term, but a high court extended this to 10 years convicting him on all five counts.

Last January, the top court ordered Jung to pay two former followers 10 million won and 50 million won each in compensation. Jung was extradited from China last year and was handed over to the Korean police after being on the local wanted list since 1999 and the Interpol Red Notice since 2004. He fled the country after the rape charges emerged. He was also allegedly involved in seven other embezzlement, sexual assault and fraud cases.

Jung reportedly asserts that he is the Messiah with the responsibility to save mankind, and has new teachings to finish the incomplete message and mission of Jesus Christ. Former group members testified that his followers still view him as a president, teacher and Lord."