The sexual abuse of disabled residents that shocked South Korea
A South Korean court has sentenced a care home director to 15 years in prison for the sexual abuse of residents with intellectual disabilities. The case has sparked national outrage and led to calls for the closure of the state-subsidized facility.
Why it matters
The case exposes systemic failures in the protection of vulnerable populations within state-run care institutions.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Juna Moon BBC Korean Getty Images "I was hurting inside, so I came to tell my story."
These were Seo Mi-hyeon's first words to the police.
Seo, who has an intellectual disability, struggles to form long sentences and can only communicate through brief words and gestures. But her memories of the abuse inflicted upon her were clear.
She was one of three residents at a state-run care home in South Korea who were sexually assaulted by the home's director, in a case that has shocked the country and raised serious questions about state care for the disabled.
Earlier this month, a court in Seoul sentenced the director - who has only been identified by his surname Kim - to 15 years in prison. Kim is appealing the conviction.
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