Chicago Pastor Pleaded Guilty to Sexual Battery, Sparks Controversy at Wife’s Art Studio for Children

Plea deal allowed alleged abuser to bypass sex offender list

Last year, MinistryWatch reported on John Kim, 48, a pastor at Salvation Army Mayfair Community Church who police charged with three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor.

John Kim / Photo via Bunny Ears Art House

Kim pleaded guilty last February, and the Cook County court dropped the aggravated criminal sexual abuse charges for each case, sentencing him to 2 years probation, community service with the Cook County Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP), and ordered him to complete a sex offender evaluation and recommendations for treatment.

As part of the deal, he did not have to register as a sex offender.

Two of Kim’s alleged victims told CBS News Chicago they were frustrated to find out the pastor won’t be required to register as a sex offender despite the pain they said they endured as children in his care.

Catherine Park, one of two young women who came forward claiming Kim abused them when they were children in his youth group, said Friday night youth group always ended in a dreaded car ride home.

According to Park, who said she was 13 when she met Kim, the pastor would offer to give the teens a ride home. There was a knowing that whoever sits in the passenger seat, “we just knew, like, OK, he’s going to touch me,” she said.

“I knew what was going to happen, and obviously that is not what I want for myself, so I actually sat at the very back of the van,” Park said. “As kids left the van one by one, he asked me to move up and get close to him physically.”

Park remained silent about the abuse for years. She came forward when she learned her brother, who had no knowledge of the abuse, asked Park’s abuser to officiate his wedding.

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She confronted Kim via email, accusing him of sexually touching her without consent.

He responded. “I want to completely own my actions in the past and say I was wrong,” he wrote. “My mind immediately goes to one other person that I also need to apologize to.”

He was referring to Ellen Kim (no relation), who was 7 years old when she met Pastor Kim.

Ellen Kim told CBS the abuse started a few years later. “Before I even knew what sexual abuse was, this already became routine,” she said.

The women filed charges in January 2023, and Chicago police arrested Kim on three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of someone under 18.

But the dropped charges—especially Kim not having to register as a sex offender—was a big blow. Park described it as “a punch in my gut.”

Ellen Kim said their goal from the start was to get Kim on the sex offender list “because that was our only legal protection growing up.”

The state’s attorney and the defense attorney in the case negotiated the agreement, according to CBS Chicago Legal Analyst Irv Miller. “Sometimes you have to give a little in order to get something that is meaningful,” he said.

Miller says Kim’s record displays “that he battered, a felony, two young ladies.”

But the women argue having this information on Kim’s record is not enough.

Last month, they spotted him among photos of a grand opening at Bunny Ears Art House, a play space for children in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Kim’s wife, Lois Song, was a co-owner.

Seeing Kim among children in the photo upset the two women, who fear more children could be in danger.

“Are there any safeguards to protect those children?” asked Ellen Kim. “Legally speaking, no, because he was not put on a sex offender list.”

Following the CBS report, Song resigned as co-owner of Bunny Ears Art Studio.

Co-owner Jinny Choi released a statement on the studio website announcing Song’s departure and Bunny Ears’ commitment to safety:

“I wanted to make you aware of a situation surrounding our former owner, Lois. Some of you may have heard already. On May 4th, John Kim, husband (process of separation) of Lois, was pictured at our studio during our grand opening tour event which was open to the public for 30 minutes,” it said.

Choi added that Kim’s convictions were unknown, and he was only present as a visitor with his children in support of their mother. The event is the only one the studio has had that allowed the general public in without signing up.

“We were unaware that he had these convictions. We just want to assure you that John Kim has never had a role formally or informally at Bunny Ears Art House. He’s never been involved with any classes, open art, workshops, camps, etc. Lois has tendered her resignation and she will no longer be owner, or have any role here. She will not be present for camp or anything else we offer.  Jinny and Zak will be the sole owners and will continue running the studio.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.