Former NCT member Taeil Moon gets three years, six months prison term for sexual assault on a foreign woman

Former NCT member Taeil Moon who was convicted for sexual assault some months back has had his appeal rejected. He has received the same quantum of punishment the second time round from a higher court. Today, Seoul’s High Court Criminal Divison 11-3 comprising of judges Park Young Joo, Park Jae Woo and Jung Moon Kyung upheld the three years and six months, jail term given to Taeil. He was convicted under the Act on Punishment of Sexual Crimes and Protection of Victims. He had appealed for leniency stating that the victim had agreed on an out of court settlement and he had a clean record.

He has also been ordered to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program. Taeil Moon cannot work at institutions revolving around children, adolescents and disabled persons for five years. Taeil’s legal team appealed saying that he had turned himself in to the cops. The court rejected it saying that he stayed silent till the cops came and searched his residence. Moon Taeil had earlier claimed that he was unaware of any such criminal charge. They said this cannot be a reason for him to get a lighter sentence. The three judges said the punishment given to him was not too light or heavy, and well within the “bounds of judicial discretion.”

Taeil along with his two friends had befriended a foreign woman at a bar in Seoul. She had totally passed out when they took her to an apartment and sexually assaulted her. The judges said it was grave crime, and the victim would have suffered “severe psychological trauma from being assaulted in an unfamiliar country.”

Given the seriousness of the matter, we have determined that he can no longer continue group activities.

- SM Entertainment's statement in 2023

Taeil had been questioned by the cops in August 2023 along with his friends, Mr. Lee and Mr. Hong. The incident happened in June 2023 and was kept under wraps for a long time. SM Entertainment said they had discontinued his contract as the charges against him were extremely serious.