Cult leader and sex offender refuses to pay professor in false criminal complaint case

A damages suit against an imprisoned cult leader and sex offender will return to trial after he refused to pay 5 million won ($3,500) to a professor suing him over a false criminal complaint.

On July 15, the Daejeon District Court ordered Jeong Myeong-seok to pay 5 million won — plus interest — to Kim Do-hyung, a Dankook University professor. 

Kim had sued Jeong for 30 million won, arguing that Jeong’s false criminal complaint against him had caused him harm. The 5 million won was the court’s proposed settlement.

Jeong leads the Christian Gospel Mission religious cult, otherwise known as Jesus Morning Star (JMS), and is serving 17 years in prison for sex crimes against his female followers.

Jeong rejected the court’s decision and filed an objection on July 30, which ended the settlement process. The damages claim will now return to trial.

The dispute goes back to 2023, when female followers, including Maple, a Hong Kong national, filed criminal complaints against Jeong, accusing him of sex crimes. Jeong said that the accusations were fabricated and filed counter-complaints against the women and against Kim, who had been helping them.

Kim and the accusers answered with a false accusation complaint of their own. Prosecutors charged Jeong with both that offense and quasi-rape and other sex crimes. Under Korean law, quasi-rape occurs when the victim is unconscious or unable to resist.

The Supreme Court found Jeong guilty on all counts in January 2025 and finalized a 17-year prison term. Kim filed his 30 million won damages suit over the false accusation in May of that year.

Three of the sex crime victims, including Maple, filed their own damages suit last year against Jeong, the church and Kim Ji-seon, Jeong’s second-in-command and successor in JMS. A ruling in that case is due in October.

Separately from the case that produced his 17-year term, Jeong has been indicted on charges of sexually assaulting 15 other female followers. He is standing trial at the Daejeon District Court.