Ki Sung-yueng wins second-round verdict against junior who alleged sexual assault 24 years ago... "100 million won damages upheld"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The first-instance ruling that a former junior, who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Ki Sung-yueng (37, Pohang Steelers) during elementary school, must pay Ki Sung-yueng 100 million won in damages was upheld on appeal.

On the 23rd, the 13-3 Civil Division of the Seoul High Court (Judges Hwang Jin-goo, Baek Kang-jin, and Lee Gyu-hong (Director)) dismissed the appeal by A, the accuser in the sexual assault allegations, and ruled in partial favor of the plaintiff, Ki Sung-yueng, as in the first instance, in a lawsuit for damages filed against A and others. The court also ordered the defendant to bear the costs of the appeal.

The court stated, "The party claiming that sexual assault occurred must present convincing evidence, but the defendant's explanatory materials are insufficient," explaining that even considering the additional evidence submitted, the first-instance judgment was valid. It particularly emphasized the need for clear proof from the accuser's side, given that the incident allegedly took place in an unspecified time and location.

Previously, in February 2021, A and B alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by Ki Sung-yueng at a dormitory of an elementary school soccer team in South Jeolla Province in 2000. Ki Sung-yueng's side maintained his innocence, denied the allegations entirely, filed criminal complaints against them for defamation through false statements, and simultaneously filed a lawsuit seeking 500 million won in damages.

The first instance ruled that A and B must jointly pay Ki Sung-yueng 100 million won in damages. Of these, B did not appeal, so the damages judgment became final, while only A appealed, leading to the second-instance trial.

Meanwhile, the police investigating the case determined in 2023 that there was insufficient evidence and closed the case without prosecution (no criminal liability) for A and B. At the time, the police also judged that evidence regarding Ki Sung-yueng's suspected involvement in sexual assault was insufficient. A and B had also filed a lawsuit for damages against Ki Sung-yueng's legal representative, who referred to the allegations as a "scam on the public," but lost in both the first and second instances.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original