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A few weeks after his gradual return to the spotlight, Kim Soo-hyun marks another significant development in the legal aspect of the case involving him. South Korean police have decided to dismiss the charges of violating the Child Protection Act brought against the actor, finding that the evidence gathered was insufficient to support the alleged offenses.
À la suite de cette décision, son avoca a publié un communiqué afin de préciser la portée juridique de ce classement sans suite.
The investigation examined all of the charges
As a reminder, the family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron, accompanied by Kim Se-ui, the head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, accused Kim Soo-hyun of having a relationship with the actress while she was a minor. The plaintiffs went so far as to claim that their first sexual encounter took place when she was 14 years old, allegations based in part on an audio recording presented at a press conference.
After several months of investigation, the Seongdong Police Department decided to not to refer the case to the prosecutor's office, considering that the charges of violating the Child Protection Act and making a false accusation could not be upheld.
In his statement, Kim Soo-hyun’s attorney emphasized that the investigation was not limited to a specific period in Kim Sae-ron’s life: « In this case, the investigation examined all of the allegations, including the period when the deceased was under 18, in order to verify whether the claims of a sexual relationship and sexual or emotional abuse constituting a violation of the Child Protection Act were substantiated.»
He added that investigators reviewed the statements and documents provided by the complainants, as well as the facts surrounding their relationship, before concluding that no offense could be established.
«The investigation has now been closed.»
The attorney also emphasizes that, in his view, this decision constitutes a legal conclusion on this aspect of the case. «The allegations regarding an alleged relationship with a minor are not an issue that will be decided in a future trial. They have already been examined as part of an independent investigation and have been closed with a decision not to prosecute.»
He also points out that a case dismissed does not amount to a mere suspension of the proceedings: «A decision not to refer a case does not mean that the investigation is suspended pending another trial. It means that the investigating authorities determined that the elements of the offense were not present and terminated the proceedings without referring the case to the prosecutor’s office.»
According to several Korean media outlets, the investigation also focused on the audio recording presented as key evidence. Expert analyses conducted during the investigation reportedly concluded that the file had been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence, calling into question its probative value.
Finally, the attorney points out that the upcoming proceedings concern a different legal issue: «The upcoming trials will not focus on a possible violation of the Child Protection Act by Kim Soo-hyun, but rather on the actions of Kim Se-ui and the other individuals involved in spreading the allegations, as well as their potential criminal liability.»
This new decision comes as Kim Soo-hyun has recently resumed his public activities and several Korean media outlets are already reporting on his upcoming return to new drama and film projects. Nearly a year and a half after the scandal began, Kim Soo-hyun has thus been definitively cleared of all charges.
