'Sexual Assault in China' Idol Chris Sentenced to 13 Years in Closed Appeal Trial

The appeal trial for Kris, a former member of the K-pop group EXO who was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of sexual assault in China, was held on the 25th.

China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People's Court conducted a closed-door second trial for Kris (Chinese name Wu Yifan) on charges of rape and group obscenity on that day. The court did not provide detailed explanations about the trial but stated that Kris's various litigation rights were guaranteed according to the law during the hearing process. The court also added that the sentencing for Kris's appeal trial is expected to be announced soon.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kris is accused of sexually assaulting three women using the same method, including raping an intoxicated woman at his home between November and December 2020. Additional charges were applied for allegedly conspiring with others to commit obscene acts after calling two women to his residence on July 1, 2018.

His criminal acts were revealed when his ex-girlfriend, Ms. A, posted an expos? online. Ms. A claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Kris when she was 17 years old and alleged that he approached women under the pretense of casting interviews or fan meetings, with some victims being minors.

Kris denied Ms. A's claims at the time but was eventually arrested on July 31, 2021.

The first trial held last November at the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court sentenced him to 11 years and 6 months in prison for rape and 1 year and 10 months for group obscenity, totaling 13 years in prison for both crimes. In China, sentences for sexual assault cases range from a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of 10 years, but heavier sentences can be imposed if there are aggravating factors, which apply in Kris's case.

The court also ordered that he be deported overseas after serving his sentence. Kris holds Canadian nationality, and according to this ruling, he is expected to be deported to Canada after completing his prison term in China.

In response, Kris appealed the first trial's verdict.

Previously, Kris debuted in 2012 as a member of the domestic SM Entertainment group EXO but filed a lawsuit claiming unfair exclusive contract terms and left EXO in 2014, two years after debuting. At that time, Kris raised issues against SM regarding improper artist management, insufficient financial compensation, and human rights violations. Subsequently, EXO officially announced Kris's departure at a solo concert held at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena, stating that "only 11 EXO members will perform at the solo concert." After leaving EXO, Kris has been active in China as an actor and singer.

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