Sean Hayes (NY attorneys-at-law) the Chair of the Korea Practice Team was interviewed and quoted by Stars & Stripes.
“However, a New York attorney working in Seoul said the fact that Flippin was an American played a crucial role in his receiving what is an “exceptional” sentence in South Korea.
“It’s kind of a political statement, and I think the judge probably was influenced (by politics),” said Sean Hayes, who represents mostly non-Koreans.
Foreigners typically receive longer sentences than South Koreans for violent crimes, he said, and the Flippin case was seen as especially outrageous because of the woman’s age, the fact that the attack lasted for several hours, and because she sustained injuries not seen in a typical rape.
But there were other factors at play, such as South Korea’s “fervor over sex crimes,” he said. The South Korean press followed the case closely, and, especially with national elections approaching in 2012, any issues involving the U.S. — including servicemember misbehavior — are being turned into political issues, he said.
“The media is looking strongly at these cases because politicians have spoken out,” he said.”
The full article may be found at: Korea rape sentences: Each case has ‘unique set of circumstances’
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