'Sexual Assault Charges' Former EXO Member Kris Faces Trial in China 10 Months After Arrest

Held a Closed Hearing on the 10th of Last Month

Former EXO member Kris Wu (Chinese name Wu Yifan) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] Former EXO member Kris (Chinese name Wu Yifan, Canadian nationality), who had been detained and under police investigation in China on charges of sexual assault, was tried about 10 months after his arrest.

According to China's Xinhua News Agency and others, the Chaoyang District People's Court in Beijing held a hearing on the sexual assault and group obscenity case involving Kris on the 10th.

The trial was held behind closed doors to protect the victim's privacy, and the court is reported to set the sentencing schedule later according to the law.

Earlier in July last year, Kris's ex-girlfriend A revealed Kris's sexual crimes in an interview with local media. A claimed that Kris used interviews for Suga casting or fan meetings as a pretext to demand meetings and sexually assaulted women, stating that there were more than eight victims including herself, and two of them were minors.

As these allegations spread, companies using Kris as a model deleted or withdrew advertisements. Some companies began contract termination procedures.

Accordingly, the Public Security Bureau, equivalent to the police in China, stated, "We have conducted investigations regarding the allegations raised on the internet about repeatedly luring underage women for sexual relations," and "Wu Yifan has been criminally detained on charges of rape, and the investigation is underway."

In response, Kris denied A's claims through Weibo. He appealed his innocence, saying that if the allegations were true, "I would go to prison on my own feet." Kris's local agency also denied the allegations and announced plans for legal action.

However, Kris was criminally detained (similar to arrest) on rape charges on the 31st of the same month. Subsequently, on August 16, the Chaoyang District People's Procuratorate in Beijing announced, "We have approved the arrest of the suspect Wu Yifan according to the law." Under the Chinese criminal procedure law system, arrest is similar to the concept of 'detention' in Korea.

China imposes imprisonment from 3 to 10 years for sexual assault cases. In particular, sexual assault of minors can result in the death penalty. Both inside and outside China, if the charges are true, there are expectations that Kris will be sentenced to 10 years in prison, serve his term, and then be deported.

Meanwhile, Kris is a Chinese-Canadian singer and actor active in the Chinese-speaking world. He debuted as a member of the group EXO in 2012 and was active for two years, but in 2014 he filed a lawsuit against his agency SM Entertainment to nullify his exclusive contract and left for China.

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