South Korea care home abuse case ends in 15-year prison term

A South Korean court has sentenced the former director of a care facility for people with disabilities to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing residents, the BBC reported.

The defendant, identified by his surname Kim, headed the Saekdongwon facility in Incheon, west of Seoul. In February 2025, authorities launched an investigation after a female resident with a severe intellectual disability reported the abuse.

The case has led to broader scrutiny of residential facilities for people with disabilities across South Korea. A government inspection of 1,507 facilities identified 33 cases of suspected abuse.

Separately, an assessment commissioned by Ganghwa County found that 20 current and former female residents of Saekdongwon may have experienced sexual abuse.

Authorities have ordered the facility to close, while Incheon officials have revoked the license of the foundation that operated it.

In a separate case, a South Korean police officer accused of negligence after prematurely closing missing-person cases on the island of Jeju and providing false information to their families has admitted wrongdoing.

The case has grown into a nationwide scandal, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to promise police reforms as the government prepares to expand the force’s powers.