A former CEO of a South Korean entertainment agency has received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial for allegedly assaulting a minor member of a boy band with a blunt object.
On Wednesday, legal sources reported that Judge Lee Kyung Sun of the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 16 held a sentencing hearing for Kim, the former agency head, on January 14. Kim was charged with aggravated assault, special assault, and child abuse. The court handed down a one-year prison sentence, suspended for three years, and ordered 120 hours of community service. Additionally, the agency was fined 5 million won (roughly $3,460) for violating child welfare laws.
Kim, who served as CEO of the agency until June, allegedly assaulted one of the group’s members after discovering the member had been in a relationship with a manager.
During the incident, Kim reportedly confronted the member at the group’s dormitory, wielding a metal hanger rod. He accused the member of violating company rules and his contract. When the member denied the allegations, Kim allegedly struck him multiple times on the thighs and buttocks, accusing him of lying.
Kim is also accused of assaulting two other group members with the hanger rod, allegedly because he was displeased with the cleanliness of the dormitory bathroom.
The court stressed the severity of the assaults, saying, “The defendant repeatedly struck a minor who was unable to resist or defend himself, causing injuries that required four weeks of treatment. The violence was so intense that it broke the hanger.”
“Kim hit the heads of the other victims, who are also agency artists, with the hanger. Given the method and the targeted areas, the risk posed was significant. Considering the circumstances, the nature of the offense is particularly serious,” the court added.
However, the court considered several mitigating factors, including Kim’s full admission of the charges, his resignation as CEO, a settlement of 80 million won (approximately $55,400) with one of the victims, and agreements with all other victims. The court also noted that Kim had no prior criminal record or history of similar offenses.
In June, police referred Kim, then the agency’s CEO, to prosecutors on charges of aggravated assault, special assault, and child abuse.
Kim allegedly assaulted the group members while intoxicated in the early hours of June at their dormitory.
The investigation reportedly began after one of the assaulted members filed a police report against Kim.
Although police requested an arrest warrant for Kim, the court denied the request, citing his settlements with the victims and the fact that there was no risk of him fleeing the country.
