Court proceedings began on Friday for an Air Force master sergeant accused of sexual misconduct in a case that brought attention to the issue in the military.

The Defense Ministry’s general military court held the first hearing for the man, surnamed Jang, who is charged with an indecent act by force and inflicting bodily injury. 

Jang is suspected of groping and forcing his colleague, another master sergeant, to touch him in a car while returning to base in the western city of Seosan after a private gathering in March. 

He is also accused of threatening retaliation against the woman just after the incident. She was found dead in her residence on another base on May 22.

Jang was arrested on June 3, two days after prosecutors at the Defense Ministry took over the case from the Air Force in the wake of active media coverage of the woman’s death, which is believed to be a suicide. 

Prior to the Defense Ministry investigation, Jang had only faced one round of questioning by military prosecutors and then police at the 20th Fighter Wing without physical detention.