Figure Skating National Team Coach Lee Kyuhyun Charged with Sexual Assault of Minor Student

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Figure skating national team coach Lee Gyu-hyun has been arrested and sent to trial on charges of sexually assaulting a minor student.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Namyangju Branch of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Son Jeong-sook) announced on the 7th that Lee was arrested and indicted last month on charges including violation of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.

Lee is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage student he was coaching earlier this year. The Seoul Songpa Police Station investigated the case and initially booked Lee without detention, then transferred the case to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. However, in early last month, the case was transferred to the Namyangju Branch Prosecutors' Office, where Lee resides. The Namyangju Branch, considering the severity of the crime, requested an arrest warrant for Lee. The court issued the warrant citing concerns over evidence tampering and flight risk.

Lee is the younger brother of Lee Gyu-hyeok, a former national speed skating athlete. He participated in two consecutive Winter Olympics, Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake 2002. After retiring as an athlete in 2003, he worked as a coach. In 2017, he was involved in a controversy for encouraging a player waiting for score announcements at an International Skating Union (ISU) junior figure skating competition.

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