South Korean prosecutors seek 1-2 year sentence for student who pledged allegiance to ISIS

South Korean prosecutors have sought a sentence of one to two years in prison for an 18-year-old university student accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and planning a bombing attack while he was in high school. The sentencing request was made on the 20th at the Cheongju District Court. The defendant, identified as A, was indicted on charges of violating the Anti-Terrorism Act for allegedly accessing encrypted ISIS-affiliated websites thousands of times between November 2024 and February 2026, viewing propaganda videos, and attempting to formally join the group as a foreign fighter. He also reportedly learned bomb-making methods and drafted a terror plan, which he sought feedback on from ISIS contacts. Prosecutors argued the crime's gravity was high despite his youth, while his defense claimed the plan was not concrete and he has since renounced Islam and lived a normal university life. A's father, a Christian, pleaded for leniency, saying his son acted out of misguided curiosity. In his final statement, A admitted to committing a serious crime and asked for a chance to become a responsible citizen. He claimed he lost faith in Islam after learning extremist groups harm other Muslims. He also requested bail citing worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder. The verdict was scheduled for the 20th.