Human Rights Commission Petition Filed One Day Before the Death of Late Choi Sook-hyun, Who Suffered Harsh Treatment

Submission of Complaint Regarding Abuse on the 25th
Gyeongju City Sports Council Suspends Coach Duties

A 23-year-old triathlon athlete Choi Sook-hyun, who played as a national representative and youth representative, winning a gold medal at the 2013 National Marine Sports Festival. Photo by the family of the late Choi Sook-hyun [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The family of the late triathlon athlete Choi Sook-hyun, who suffered from harsh abuse by her team coaches and seniors and ultimately took her own life, filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) one day before her death.

According to the NHRCK on the 3rd, the legal representative of Choi’s family submitted a complaint regarding the abuse on the 25th of last month. Choi ended her life early the next morning at the dormitory. The NHRCK’s Special Investigation Team on Sports Human Rights is currently investigating the case. Recordings and diaries left by Choi reveal circumstances of abuse from 2017 to 2019 while she was affiliated with Gyeongju City Hall, including harsh treatment by the coach, team doctor, and seniors. Reported abuses include forced feeding or starvation, physical assault, and there are suspicions that the team doctor demanded money.

Lee Yong, a member of the United Future Party and former head coach of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics bobsleigh and skeleton national teams, disclosed the last mobile message Choi sent to her mother the day before: "Mom, I love you. Please reveal the guilt of those people." Lee also revealed that there are additional victims who suffered assault from the perpetrators.

The Gyeongju City Sports Council held a personnel committee meeting the previous day and suspended the coach from duty. Two players also accused as perpetrators strongly denied the assault and verbal abuse allegations and were not included in disciplinary actions. The coach reportedly claimed at the personnel committee, "I did not hit anyone. Rather, I tried to stop the team doctor’s assault."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has formed a special investigation team led by Second Vice Minister Choi Yoon-hee. The Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office’s Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Yang Seon-soon) has also taken over the case from the police and is conducting investigations into those involved.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.