Living through assault allegations 'harder than dying' for Pohang Steelers' Ki Sung-yueng
Published: 13 Jul. 2025, 16:42
Updated: 13 Jul. 2025, 19:57
![Pohang Steelers midfielder Ki Sung-yeung speaks during a press conference at the team's club house in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on July 4. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/07/13/465b4025-185a-4349-8dd6-87f08563fb20.jpg)
Pohang Steelers midfielder Ki Sung-yeung speaks during a press conference at the team's club house in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on July 4. [YONHAP]
Pohang Steelers midfielder Ki Sung-yueng recalled his past four years of public humiliation after being wrongly accused, according to a recent court ruling, of sexually assaulting his teammates as an elementary school student.
“I don’t even know how these past four years have gone by,” Ki wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
“Living a life full of misunderstanding, ridicule and humiliation over false claims has been harder than dying," he continued.
“What allowed me to endure for so long was the belief that the truth would eventually come out. It was extremely difficult to prove something that didn’t happen, but I’ve gained the valuable experience that truth prevails and lies eventually collapse," he said.
Two individuals who played on the same elementary school football team as Ki in South Jeolla alleged in February 2021 that Ki and other older teammates sexually assaulted them between January and June 2000.
Ki denied the allegations and filed both a criminal complaint and a lawsuit seeking 500 million won ($362,000) in damages.
The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday ruled in Ki’s favor in part, ordering his former teammates to jointly pay him 100 million won.
The first court hearing took place in March 2022, but the civil trial was paused while the related criminal investigation proceeded. The court resumed proceedings in January 2024.
Seocho Police Station in southern Seoul concluded in August 2023 that there was insufficient evidence to support the criminal defamation charges Ki filed against his former teammates over their sexual assault allegations.
Police also concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the sexual assault allegations made against Ki.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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