National Team Former Soccer Player Accused of Sexually Assaulting Junior During Elementary School Years

The perpetrator is known to have high recognition in Korea
Attorney Park Jihoon: "Victim's claim can specify even the date"

A view of a soccer field. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Allegations have been raised that a former national team professional soccer player sexually assaulted a junior while they were both part of an elementary school soccer team. The accused player is known as a "star player" with high recognition in South Korea, which is expected to cause a stir.

According to lawyer Park Jihoon of the law firm Hyun on the 24th, two former soccer players, A and B, were sexually assaulted over approximately six months by senior players C and D while they were part of an elementary school soccer team in Jeonnam in 2000.

Lawyer Park stated that the perpetrator, player A, is a former national team star player who recently joined a prestigious club in the Seoul metropolitan area, and player B briefly played professionally and is currently working as an adjunct professor at a university in the Gwangju area.

At the time of the incident, victims A and B were fifth-grade elementary school students. They claimed that C and D forced them to engage in sexual acts at the soccer team dormitory.

They also explained that if they did not comply with these demands, C and others would subject them to brutal beatings, leaving them no choice but to take turns complying.

Regarding this, lawyer Park explained, "The reason perpetrators like C chose the victims as 'prey' was because the victims were small in stature, gentle in personality, and introverted at the time," adding, "The victims still vividly remember the events even after more than 20 years and continue to suffer."

However, even if the victims' claims are true, it is reported that it is difficult to hold the perpetrators criminally responsible because they were minors at the time and the statute of limitations has passed. It is also known to be difficult to receive civil compensation as the statute of limitations for damages under civil law has also expired.

In response, lawyer Park said, "I understand that resolving this through litigation is difficult," but added, "Because the victims' claims are very detailed to the point that specific dates can be identified, we decided to make the case public."

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