Kim Gun-mo accused of rape
Lawyer Kang Yong-suk, left, holding a paper-wrapped criminal complaint against singer Kim Gun-mo, speaks to a reporter at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Monday. Yonhap
By Park Si-soo
Award-winning singer Kim Gun-mo was accused of rape in a complaint filed with the prosecution Monday.
Kang Yong-suk, a lawyer representing a bar hostess, filed a formal complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, claiming Kim raped his client in 2016.
“He (Kim) has never apologized and the victim is still suffering from the enormous pain that ensued,” the lawyer told reporters, without elaborating.
The prosecution is expected to launch an investigation after reviewing the complaint. Whatever the result, the scandal has already dealt a serious blow to the reputation of Kim ― one of the hottest stars in the 1990s, with a Guinness World Record (for the best-selling album of all time here) under his belt.
Kang revealed Kim's alleged involvement in the rape scandal on a live YouTube talk show, Friday. He said he had two meetings with the alleged victim at her request and that "evidence (of the alleged offence) is ample."
The singer has vehemently denied the allegation, saying he will take legal action against the lawyer for spreading false information.
According to the lawyer, Kim came alone to a hostess bar in Gangnam in August 2016 wearing a Batman T-Shirt. He ordered soju (a distilled alcoholic beverage) and spent time alone with the alleged victim in a room. At one point, the lawyer claimed, the singer forced the woman to give him oral sex and then had sex on a sofa without her consent.
He added that the woman had decided to speak out after watching recent TV programs showing "only the good side" of the singer.
Kim recently made headlines with the surprise announcement that he would marry pianist Jang Ji-yeon, who is 13 years junior. The wedding is scheduled for May.