The prosecution has maintained its decision not to indict Cho Sung-hyun, the director of the documentary 'I Am God', which exposed sexual violence crimes committed by Jung Myung-seok, the head of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS).
According to the legal community on the 21st, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office dismissed the appeal against the non-indictment decision regarding Cho PD's violation of the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (distribution of recordings using cameras, etc.) on the 15th. Following the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office also determined that Cho PD's actions did not constitute a crime. The prosecution concluded that the broadcast did not violate social norms through supplementary investigation, leading to the non-indictment decision.
Cho PD was reported by JMS members for inserting and distributing nude footage without the consent of the victim while producing and airing the documentary 'I Am God' in March 2023.
The police, upon receiving the complaint, believed there was sufficient evidence and forwarded the case with a recommendation for indictment, but the prosecution stated that it was a "just act that does not violate social norms," leading to the non-indictment decision for Cho PD in March.
Subsequently, JMS members filed an appeal against the prosecution's decision, but there was no change in the prosecution's judgment.
'I Am God' is a documentary that exposes the realities of a cult, including the sexual crimes of JMS's Jung Myung-seok. It was released on Netflix in March 2023.
