“Another crime during trial” Prosecutors seek 7 years in prison for BAP Himchan on ‘sexual assault charges’

Himchan (real name Kim Himchan, 33), a former member of the group BAP, was sentenced to 7 years in prison and ordered to be fitted with an electronic location tracking device for 3 years.

On the afternoon of the 16th, a trial was held for Himchan, who was indicted on charges of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Rape and Sexual Violence Crimes (filming using cameras, etc., obscene acts using communication media) at the Criminal Agreement Division 12 of the Seoul Western District Court (Chief Judge Kwon Seong-soo).

On this day, the prosecution requested that Himchan be sentenced to 7 years in prison and ordered to attach a location tracking electronic device for 3 years. The prosecution made this request taking into account the circumstances and nature of the crime, the fact that the victims suffered extremely severe mental pain, the fact that the crime of forcible molestation was committed again during the trial of a separate forcible molestation crime, and the risk of repeat offenses were confirmed.

Previously, Himchan was sentenced to 10 months in prison and required to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program at an appeal trial held in February 2023 on charges of sexually harassing a woman in her 20s at a pension in Namyangju in July 2018. He was arrested by the court. Then, in April 2022, he was additionally charged with sexually assaulting two women on the stairs outside a bar in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, and was indicted in October of the same year.

Himchan’s sexual crimes did not stop here. In May 2022, while he was on trial for sex crimes, he was charged with raping and illegally filming a woman who drove him home, and sending pornographic material while contacting the woman in June.

At the trial held in October last year, Himchan, who appeared wearing a blue jumpsuit, admitted to all of the crimes and appealed for leniency, but the victim's lawyer said, "The victim has no intention of reaching an agreement with Himchan."

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr