Former Lotte Giants Seo Jun-won, who was tried on charges of violating the Act on Sexual Protection of Children and Adolescents, avoided prison by receiving a suspended sentence rather than a prison sentence. Nevertheless, his return to the KBO League is not expected to be easy.

On the 13th, the Busan District Court Criminal Division 5 (Chief Judge Jang Ki-seok) held a sentencing hearing for Seo Jun-won, who is accused of violating the Act on Sexual Protection of Children and Adolescents (producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials, etc.), at the Busan District Court in Yeonje-gu, Busan, and sentenced him to prison. Sentenced to 3 years and 5 years probation.

Although Seo Jun-won was a sidearm pitcher when he was a student at Gyeongnam High School, he was a top prospect who could hit a fast ball over 150 km. At that time, Seo Jun-won not only received the attention of major league scouts, but was also evaluated as being so talented that he even received the ‘High School Choi Dong-won Award’. And he entered the professional stage after being selected in the first round by the Lotte Giants in the 2019 rookie draft.

Seo Jun-won gained experience by pitching in a total of 33 games (16 starts), recording 4 wins, 11 losses, and an ERA of 5.47, going back and forth between starting and bullpen positions in his first season of debut, and 31 games (20 starting) the following year. He began to stand out with a record of 7 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 5.18. However, contrary to expectations, Seo Jun-won’s growth was slow. This was because he was negligent in taking care of his body, as he rapidly gained weight after joining the pro ranks.

Seo Jun-won had his worst season in the 2021 season with 1 win, 3 losses, 3 holds, and an ERA of 7.33 in 26 games (8 starts). After getting married, having a child, and having a family to support, Seo Jun-won’s position became narrower, so Seo Jun-won pledged to change by giving up the greed for restraint that he had insisted on, and finished with an average of 3 wins, 3 losses, and 2 holds in 33 games (4 starts) last year. He showed a rebound with an earned run average of 4.80. And he put a lot of effort into preparing for the season, including losing weight at spring training this year.

However, ahead of the opening of the regular season, ‘shocking’ news broke that could have a repercussion not only in the baseball world but also in society. It was said that Seo Jun-won had committed a sex crime against a minor. In August of last year, Seo Jun-won seduced a minor he met through social media by offering him pocket money and made her take pictures of his body. Seo Jun-won has already been under police investigation since last year on suspicion of sexual crimes against minors, and he accused the Lotte team of being ‘frauded’ for personal reasons.

But he couldn’t cover the sky with his palm. It was revealed that Seo Jun-won was indicted on charges of producing sexual exploitation material for minors, and Lotte decided to release Seo Jun-won without any hesitation after the report came out. Lotte team and CEO Kang-hoon Lee issued an apology and bowed their heads. . And the Choi Dong-won Memorial Association, which gave Seo Jun-won the ‘High School Choi Dong-won Award’, also decided to revoke the award.

What was even more shocking was Seo Jun-won’s ‘lie’. Seo Jun-won, who stood in court, claimed that he was unaware that his opponent was a minor during his first trial. But this wasn’t true. At a hearing held on June 14, Seo Jun-won reversed his previous position and admitted that he was aware that his opponent was a minor. According to reports at the time, it was revealed that Seo Jun-won received as many as 60 sexual messages and 7 photos from the victim. Seo Jun-won made a ridiculous excuse, saying, “I was trying to relieve the stress accumulated from strict life control and childcare within the club in a twisted way.”메이저사이트

Accordingly, at the last trial on August 23, before the sentencing date, the prosecution requested 6 years in prison for Seo Jun-won, saying he did not show remorse based on the fact that he lied about not knowing that the victim was a minor. Since he committed a very serious crime, there seemed to be no way for Seo Jun-won to avoid being sentenced to prison. However, on the 13th, the court said, “The crime is serious considering the method of the crime, the target, and the extent of the damage,” but “the fact that the crime lasted only one day, that it does not appear to have distributed sexual exploitation material, and that a settlement amount was paid to the victim’s mother.” He sentenced Seo Jun-won to three years in prison and five years of probation, saying, “We took into account the fact that he was a first-time offender.”

Is it possible for Seo Jun-won to return to the KBO League while avoiding prison? KBO suspended Seo Jun-won from participation activities last March and said, “Once the facts are confirmed based on the judgment of the judicial authorities in the future, we plan to hold a rewards and punishment committee to deliberate on whether to terminate the suspension from participation activities and final sanctions.” . Once the KBO confirms the results of the first trial, it plans to hold a rewards and punishment committee after observing the situation, taking into account the fact that the trial may be prolonged due to appeals. At present, there is a high possibility of an appeal from the prosecution.

If the KBO does not impose disciplinary action such as permanent expulsion or deprivation of player qualifications from the rewards and punishment committee, theoretically, he can continue his career as a player in Korea again. However, the possibility of such strong disciplinary action cannot be ruled out. A KBO official said, “What matters is whether he received probation after committing a crime.

Even if the KBO’s disciplinary action is not strong, it is not easy to continue one’s career as a player. There are not many clubs that can handle the aftermath of recruiting Seo Jun-won. This is why there is a high possibility that no club will reach out to Seo Jun-won, who committed a serious crime. Considering various circumstances, it is currently likely that he will be kicked out of baseball.

When asked about his future plans after the trial, Seo Jun-won said, “The plan will be made gradually, but I will keep my volunteer hours as the ruling is made. That’s all I can think about for now.” He added, “I will think a little more deeply in the future and never do something like this again.” “I will be upright and reflect on my actions so as not to cause harm,” he said.