2-yr prison term finalized for Air Force officer in sexual harassment case

▲ This photo shows a 53-year-old Air Force warrant officer (C), surnamed Noh, accused of threatening a female subordinate who suffered sexual harassment not to file a formal complaint. (Yonhap)

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2-yr prison term finalized for Air Force officer in sexual harassment case

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Friday finalized a two-year prison sentence for an Air Force officer charged with threatening a female subordinate who suffered sexual harassment not to file a formal complaint.

The 53-year-old warrant officer, surnamed Noh, was charged with threatening and sexually abusing Lee Ye-ram, a 23-year-old female master sergeant affiliated with the Air Force's 20th Fighter Wing.

Lee took her own life in May 2021, two months after she filed a complaint of being molested by a male superior of the same rank.

After receiving the initial report on the case, Noh allegedly cajoled and threatened her not to file a formal complaint. Noh was also accused of sexually harassing her during a group meeting in 2020.

A military court initially sentenced Noh to two years behind bars, recognizing he cajoled her not to make a formal complaint. The court, however, rejected other charges of threatening or sexually abusing her.

An appellate court upheld the two-year sentence, and the top court finalized the verdict Friday.

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