'Animal Farm' Lee Chan-jong cleared of forced indecency allegations: "It was hard for my family to suffer" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Chan-jong, a companion dog trainer, shared his feelings after clearing himself of forced indecency allegations after more than four years.

On the 19th, Lee appeared in a video titled "Hello, I am Trainer Lee Chan-jong" released through his YouTube channel 'Animal Farm Uncle Lee Chan-jong x Han Jae-woong's Jaekkichan'.

In the video, ahead of the second-instance verdict on his forced indecency case, Lee said, "Rather than worrying about whether I couldn't prove my innocence, it hurt more that I caused hardship for my family. It was extremely difficult because my family suffered due to false accusations. Although I trembled as the verdict approached, I also felt a sense of relief knowing this long battle lasting four and a half years was coming to an end," before heading to the courthouse.

Immediately after the verdict, Lee smiled and said, "The result came out well. The prosecution's appeal was rejected in the second trial as well, and I was found not guilty. I have revealed the truth. I've suffered so much over four years and five months, so I feel relieved." Lee then approached his wife and daughter who had been waiting for him, hugged them, and said, "My daughter, you went through a lot." His wife also responded, "We never doubted you."

Lee added, "They claimed I committed six bad acts. If even one cannot be proven, I become a criminal. But I was found not guilty in all six cases. When I heard that the Prosecution Service rejected the appeal, my legs gave way." His daughter also shed tears, saying, "You've been through so much emotional pain."

Lee continued, "If I hadn't been able to clear my name, it would have been truly difficult to live. When this incident occurred, my family was the first thing that came to mind. Fortunately, they believed in me. Because of them, I was able to overcome these difficulties."

Previously, Osan Police transferred Lee Chan-jong without detention to the Prosecution Service on forced indecency charges in August 2023, and the case eventually proceeded to trial.

Lee was accused of forcibly touching and sexually harassing Assistant Trainer A's body inside cars, at workplace offices, and other locations while traveling between local filming sites from July 2021 to February 2022. Lee faced criminal charges filed by A in January last year. After approximately seven months of investigation, police concluded that most of Lee's allegations were credible. However, among the total seven instances of alleged forced indecency, one was deemed insufficiently evidenced and resulted in a non-prosecution decision.

However, Lee's legal representative denied the allegations, stating, "While it is true that some conversations could be misinterpreted, there was no physical contact or sexual harassment," and filed a false accusation lawsuit against A.

Lee previously gained public recognition by appearing on SBS's 'Animal Farm'.

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*This content was translated by AI.