Girl Group Sexual Assault Victim's Side: "Agency CEO Must Be Ousted from the Industry"

A former member of a girl group that debuted last September, identified only as Ms. A, has filed a complaint this month at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul against the former CEO of her agency, Mr. Lee, on charges of forced molestation (violation of the Child and Youth Sexual Protection Act).

At a press conference held from 10 a.m. on the 29th in a meeting room of the Journalists' Union in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the Hanbit Media Labor Rights Center, which organized the event, claimed that after a performance in Japan, Mr. Lee scolded Ms. A for three hours in his office for having invited male friends to her hotel. It was during this time that Ms. A was allegedly sexually assaulted by Mr. Lee through an abuse of power.

Ms. A's mother particularly criticized the agency for releasing a statement denying the forced molestation and making Ms. A 'like' it on social media, even forcing her to post the content on her own social media account. In response, Director Kim Young-min demanded Mr. Lee's expulsion from the entertainment industry, strict punishment, and an apology to Ms. A.

During the press conference, the Hanbit Media Labor Rights Center released a recording in which Mr. Lee admits to the unsavory facts in a meeting with the members' parents and also shared a written apology allegedly penned by Ms. A, emphasizing, "The forced molestation clearly occurred."

Ms. A's mother admitted to having demanded a settlement from Mr. Lee and expressed deep regret over it. The organizers accused Mr. Lee of committing secondary victimization by claiming through a formal notice that Ms. A's side had demanded the settlement.

Ms. A's mother stated, "All we could ask for from the CEO was a settlement. Asking for it was a desperate act by parents with nothing, thinking of their daughter's future. We didn't realize it could make us look like we were just after money and that it could harm our child. Mr. Lee flatly refused the settlement, asking, 'Are you okay with your daughter getting hurt?'"

Mr. Lee's side has yet to make a statement. Last November, after the issue was aired on JTBC's 'Crime Chief', the agency's Mr. Lee denied all allegations in an official statement, saying, "There was no sexual harassment or any other form of sexual contact by force between the mentioned member and the CEO, and the reported content is not true."

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)