"She is one of the top female figure skaters in Korea..." Japanese media also pointed out the issue of hate comments and sexual harassment directed at Lee Hae-in... Agency: "There will be no settlement or leniency"

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The agency representing Lee Hae-in (21, Korea University), a member of the South Korean national figure skating team, announced that it would take legal action against malicious comments and sexual harassment directed at the athlete. Japanese media also highlighted the issue of online defamation that Lee has endured for a long period.

Japan's Tokyosports reported on the 11th, "Lee Hae-in is a silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships and had only recently stood on the podium for the first time in the Grand Prix series." The outlet added, "Although she is considered one of the top players in the Korean women's figure skating scene, she has been flooded with numerous defamatory messages."

The media explained that Lee's side decided to take legal action after citing reports from South Korean media and statements from her agency, noting that malicious posts had become repetitive and their severity had increased.

It further pointed out, "Defamation against athletes appears to be a major issue in South Korea as well."

Lee Hae-in won a bronze medal by mounting a comeback at the women's singles event of the 'Cup of China,' the third stop of the 2026-2027 International Skating Union (ISU) Senior Grand Prix series, held in Shenzhen, China on the 7th. She had finished sixth with a score of 67.49 points in the short program the previous day, but improved her ranking in the free skate the following day.

The triple axel, which had left room for improvement in the short program, was what secured her the medal. In the short program, she received a judgment that her rotation was about one-quarter turn short, but in the free skate, she completed three and a half rotations in the air and landed cleanly. She earned 8 points in base value and an additional 1.60 points in grade of execution (GOE).

Lee Hae-in, who scored 143.30 points in the free skate, finished third with a total score of 210.79 points, winning her first Senior Grand Prix medal of her career.

However, it is known that Lee received malicious posts even while preparing for various competitions. Her agency, DJ Management, stated that they had been cautious in their response to allow the athlete to focus on training and competitions until now, but decided to take a strong stance as the severity of the malicious posts increased.

DJ Management also announced its intention to file criminal complaints for defamation and insult with the athlete's legal representative based on evidence materials already collected. Depending on the circumstances, they will also seek civil damages. Posts uploaded on overseas platforms and anonymous accounts are also included in the scope of legal action.

The agency stated that it would continue to monitor the situation and sequentially file complaints against any additional illegal activities identified.

It emphasized, "There will be no settlement or leniency."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original