(Graphic by Park Ji-young/The Korea Herald) Teens convicted of years of violence and sexual harassment against a classmate were ordered to be tried under the Juvenile Act, after an appellate court on Friday overturned an earlier ruling that sentenced them to prison.The Daejeon High Court reversed the lower court's decision to jail the three defendants, saying the 17-year-olds should be subject to protective detention instead of criminal punishment. It sided with the defendants' claim that the prison term is overly severe.The defendants were accused of physically assaulting and filming the naked body of their male classmate from October, 2022 to August, 2024. They also extorted a total of 6 million won ($3,953) from the victim by threatening to distribute the images."The (defendants’) crimes are severe in nature, but they have shown remorse during their extensive detention, and their families have demonstrated resolve to correctly guide them," the court said in its ruling.The court also noted that the victim does not want the defendants to be punished, as they had sent funds to the authorities to compensate the victim. "It appears that protective custody is more appropriate than criminal punishment, to assure that (the defendants) could grow under delicate guidance."Defendants between the ages of 14 and 18 can be punished by either the Juvenile Act or the Criminal Act, with severe cases being subject to criminal punishment. Due to the court's decision, the defendants will now be subject to protective measures for minors, the maximum of which is two years at a youth detention center.