'Girl band member raped by a ZEST idol'

By Jung Min-ho

The woman who accused a member of K-pop idol group ZEST of raping her last year was a member of a girl band, ZEST’s management agency said Friday.

“She used to be a member of a girl group,” Zenith Media Content said. But it did not reveal further details of her identity.

The disclosure came as police are looking into the allegations that the ZEST member, whose identity is also being withheld, raped the woman in her 20s at her house Nov. 22.

He is also suspected of attempting to rape her at the same place Nov. 28, according to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station.

The investigation began after she filed a petition with police Feb. 27.

Zenith Media Content said it sued her for spreading false information, maintaining its member’s innocence.

“We have evidence that she spread false information about the case,” the agency said. “We found that she and her friends made the groundless accusations online.”

Police said they had finished taking the woman’s statement and will soon summon the group member for questioning.