Ki Sungyong Wins Appeal in Damages Suit Over 'Sexual Assault Allegations'

Junior who accused Ki of sexual abuse dating back to his elementary school years
"Those who raised the allegations must pay Ki 100 million won"

Soccer player Ki Sungyong of Pohang Steelers won a damages suit in the second trial, following his victory in the first, against a former elementary school teammate who claimed that Ki had sexually assaulted them in the past.

According to Yonhap News Agency on October 23, the Seoul High Court’s Civil Division 13-3, consisting of Presiding Judge Hwang Jingu and Judges Baek Kangjin and Lee Gyuhong, ruled in Ki’s damages suit against A, who had been his junior on the elementary school soccer team, partially in favor of the plaintiff, upholding the first-trial ruling. In the first trial, the court ordered A and B, who had raised the sexual assault allegations together, to jointly pay Ki 100 million won in damages. B did not appeal, so the damages ruling against B became final.

Player Ki Sungyueng. Yonhap News.

In February 2021, A and B, former elementary school juniors of Ki, claimed that they had been sexually assaulted by Ki and other senior players from January to June 2000 while they were on the soccer team at an elementary school in South Jeolla Province. They disclosed the allegations by distributing a press release to the media. Although A and B did not name Ki directly when making the allegations, the claims made it easy to infer that Ki was the alleged perpetrator. Ki maintained his innocence and, in March 2021, filed criminal complaints against the two on charges of defamation and a 500 million won damages suit.

In August 2023, the Seoul Seocho Police Station cleared A and B of the charges, citing insufficient evidence. It also found insufficient evidence related to the allegations that Ki had committed sexual violence.

The court explained, “In cases involving whether an event took place at an unspecified time and place, the relevant legal principles require the party claiming that ‘such an event occurred’ to present material that can reasonably support the claim. The first trial found that the defendants had not provided sufficient substantiation, and the appellate court also found the first-trial ruling sound.” In July 2025, the first trial partially ruled in favor of Ki in his 500 million won damages suit against A and B.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.