Siem Reap – Today, 31 August 2017, Siem Reap Provincial Court pronounced a verdict, finding a 63-year-old Korean man, Mr. Park Youl, guilty of two offenses: Purchase of child prostitution and sexual intercourse with minors under fifteen years. Park was sentenced to 14 year imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of USD70.000 compensation to seven of the nine victims. The court also ordered Park’s deportation from Cambodia after he completes his sentencing.
In February 2015, APLE Cambodia received a tip-off from a local informant and started the investigation immediately in collaboration with Siem Reap provincial anti human trafficking and juvenile protection police. Following almost a two-year long investigation, Park was arrested in October 2016 by the provincial police who had identified a total of nine female victims aged between 12 and 17 years.
The victims who have been receiving social and legal support from APLE and its partner organizations since their rescues confirmed the account of multiple sexual encounters with Park in exchange for money and valuable assets during the hearing.
"We congratulate and commend Cambodian authorities on the result of this case. The conviction in itself means more than justice for the affected girls. It also provides a long-term deterrent effect in preventing future crimes. We welcome the court decision to deport Park as we believe this will help to disrupt his possibility to reoffend Cambodian children in the future" said Vando Khoem, APLE’s program director.
