Ex-band member speaks out about sexual assault charge

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

By Kim Susan Se-jeong

Former singer and TV host Ko Young-wook, 36, opened up for the first time since he was accused of sexually assaulting a minor.

“I want you to know that I’m not as immoral as I’m being made out to be,” wrote Ko, former member of disbanded Roo’Ra, in a post on JF Entertainment website, May 9, denying the sexual assault charges. “I wish you’d believe me.”

Ko was initially charged with engaging in sexual activities with an 18-year-old he met during a cable TV program in March. According to reports, he promised to make her a star while drinking with her at his home then sexually assaulted her, once on March 30 then again in April. The case is currently under reinvestigation for lack of evidence.

“The pain I’m under is too hard to bear. I know what happened better than anyone, but I can’t disclose all the details to the public,” he said in the Internet post. “I don’t know why the accuser sued me when she knows the truth.”

“I will fully cooperate in all investigations relating to the incident, and explain my relationship with the accuser truthfully,” wrote Ko. “I’m sorry for disappointing everyone.”

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency was unable to secure an arrest warrant for Ko due to lack of conclusive evidence, such as medical reports or documents of physical bruising.

The below is Ko’s Internet post:

This is Ko Young-wook.
I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused over the shameful incident. I decided to write this because I felt I should explain myself in the middle of this confusing and painful situation. Watching the incident get bigger and bigger, I have realized I should stop hiding behind my management. Thus, I decided to tell my side of the story.

The pain I’m under is too hard to bear. I know what happened better than anyone, but I can’t disclose all the details to the public. But I don’t know why the accuser sued me when she knows the truth.

I want to apologize to my fans, to everyone who have supported me and to the public. I feel responsible for bearing ill news and want to apologize from the bottom of my heart. I will fully cooperate in all investigations relating to the incident, and explain my relationship with the accuser truthfully. I can’t tell the public all the details, but I want you to know that I’m not as immoral as I’m being made out to be. I wish you’d believe me. This incident is a scar that neither the accuser nor I can ever forget. I can’t lie to you just to ease the pain.

Again, I’m sorry for the trouble. I apologize for causing confusion, for not doing justice to your faith and love, and for having to write about this incident when I should be giving you laughs and joy. I feel responsible for everything and I’m sorry for disappointing everyone.


Took me long to edit this cause I almost destroy my computer a few times.
Now I'm off to listen to stupid K8 songs and watch kittens so I can calm down a lil'


Source: Koreatimes

Comments

[valieleen.livejournal.com]

The pain I’m under is too hard to bear.
Me, me, me...

I want to apologize to my fans, to everyone who have supported me and to the public.
He needs to rethink who he should be apologizing to.

I want you to know that I’m not as immoral as I’m being made out to be
Good to know he's only a little immoral?! smh

Thus, I decided to tell my side of the story.
... I'm still waiting? This statement didn't tell us anything.

[pabu.livejournal.com]

[in-noctem.livejournal.com]

A+

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

THIS

[kyuhyunss.livejournal.com]

*LIKE*

[katzsong.livejournal.com]

Now I'm off to listen to stupid K8 songs and watch kittens

kittens always makes things better.

He really should've shut up. Now it's nowhere near the right time to "defend" himself. Whatever happens, he should've known better in dealing with minors. He could be very guilty or very stupid.

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

The kittens helped a lot
I watched cute baby panda as well

[falling-empress.livejournal.com]

well i'm not gonna comment on the "relationship" or relationship--but does anyone know the age of consent in korea?

wait for the facts...or at least both sides.

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

Copy paste from the previous post:
​based on the criminal law the age of consent is 13 but based on Protection of Minors from Sexual Exploitation Law it's 19

Quote from lexissexist comment:
one is the statutory bar on consent (13), the other is based on the age of majority - (19).

Gun to my head, 아동청소년의성보호에관한법률 is the referenced statute and serves to increase the severity of any sentences handed out on sex crimes committed against minors (that 19 again). It's more aimed at sex trafficking and mandates treatment and counselling for the victims, which is nice, but doesn't really change much in this case other than the mandatory minimums involved.

[in-noctem.livejournal.com]

In regards to the case where former Roora member, Ko Young Wook, engaged in sexual relations with a minor, the Seoul Yongsan Police Department announced, “We will show you what kind of person Ko Young Wook really is with the results.”

Enewsworld (http://enewsworld.mnet.com/enews/contents.asp?idx=6585) posted another article on it.

[gumdrop-showers.livejournal.com]

Is he seriously serious with this bullshit? Just, ugh. SMDH on this guy.

[phililen3.livejournal.com]

I will my fellow OMONAns deal with this bull....

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

Is this the same man that was on Maknae Rebellion for a short while? I've always gotten strange vibes from him. The way he interacts with Sungjong is really disturbing. He's disgusting for blatantly ignoring the fact that the horror of this situation comes from the fact that he took advantage of a young girl and sexually assaulted her, no one gives a shit about his reputation. At the end of the day, the girl will suffer more than he will, he's receiving exactly what he deserves.

[lonelymoon.livejournal.com]

Blame victim. Of course. Wah wah wah I'm so misunderstood.

[sayufied.livejournal.com]

In cases including engaging sexual activities with a minor who was drunk in order to make her famous, THERE AREN'T 2 SIDES OF THE STORY!!!
Trying to justify what he did will make him look even worse, if that's even possible.

Let's ASSUME *don't kill me* that the girl was the one who offered or initiated in exchange to making her famous. He still shouldn't have done anything!! You'd think he'd use his sad excuse of a brain to think, to rationalize the scenario.
He's a celebrity, and since he's a veteran he should know how shit goes down in the industry more than anyone.
Did he really think this wouldn't come out one way or the other?

WHAT AN IDIOT!

This is really getting under my skin!...It's so dirty and ugly!
It makes you wonder how the entertainment industry is really like.

[madelyn93.livejournal.com]

curious, how old is a minor in korea? the article says she's 18, and i don't know if that's in korean years.

[caribgirl98.livejournal.com]

19. So she is a minor. 18 is her Korean age. So she is minor in the US too.

[raiha-kasep.livejournal.com]

can I say I still 80% on the side of Go Youngwook???
it's still pretty unclear to me,,
I mean,,how he act on TV will just basicly for variety purpose IMO

[cairistiona.livejournal.com]

Why 80%? Why are you so convinced? What has made you convinced?

[cairistiona.livejournal.com]

This case really disturbs me. I don't believe he is innocent and I mostly believe that his statements are just to lessen his sentence and gain back public favour. In a previous article he claimed he did have sex with her, which means it doesn't matter if it was consensual or not (disgusting either way); she was underage and he will get arrested for it.

However, this case and people immediately jumping on him for it reminds me of something I've mentioned before; one of my friends who was about to have sex with a girl, decided he couldn't do it, and apologised to her. She said it was fine, and there were no problems. He went home, and heard no more, except that none of his friends would talk to him. He dug deeper and discovered she'd accused him of raping her (not in official channels but just to everyone he knew, claiming she'd gone to the police, but nothing was done about it), and all of his friends' first thought was to (understandably) believe her. He finally got around to asking her why she'd told them when she knew it was a lie and she basically shrugged and said it was for fun (she promptly apologised to everyone who had believed her). That kind of thing is disgusting. Either way is disgusting. It's not often that women lie about rape, understandably. But when they do it is horrific. It adds fire to an already boiling pot.
Not at all insinuating that she is lying as he is trying to suggest. I genuinely believe she was coerced. But the fact is, I'm still bothered by it all. The language he is using is like the language my friend used. :|

[raiha-kasep.livejournal.com]

ikr

[samfrack.livejournal.com]

I agree with most people that he's an idiot but the mention of lack of evidence and the words he's using sounds like he was just a moron that had sex with a young girl. The part about her going to his apartment the first time if it had stopped there I'd say it was him masterminding everything. The second time why the fuck did she go back to his place knowing what he did the first time? So it seemed like they both did something stupid but she didn't get what she thought she would out of it so she's now trying to get retribution.

[aurora2687.livejournal.com]

What was he doing actively seeking out a 17 year old girl though....

[rurutia88.livejournal.com]

i just watched The Crucible movie...a true story about how the sex crimes in Korea been handled so recklessly and the suspect gets so lean punishment..i'm so disgusted with korea right now..and this film actually has makes them revised the law and that's why there has been so many sex crimes reported right now..i guess there'll be more in the future

[mamchan.livejournal.com]

that movie was amazing and also really painful to watch. I like when movies can have such a strong impact as changing mentalities and helping to improve the law

[ayumikoshiro.livejournal.com]

He probably called her up made her a bunch of promises in exchange for an "relationship" didn't come through on his promises and/or ditched her so now she wants retribution. It's a pretty common practice in show biz. IMO 17 is old enough to know that if you agree to a relationship in exchange for fame you know what you are getting into. I also think that the whole sexual exchange for favors should be outlawed anyway a 17yr old is just as tricked as a 23 yr old when it comes to situations like this. Why is it if you're 19+ you are just SOL if you decide to believe someone who's promised you fame in exchange for "relations", but if you're 18 you are a manipulated minor. He should be punished for lies and sexual manipulation not just underage sexual relations. Anyone who uses their position in the industry to proposition others should be punished no matter how old the other party is. If more people could be punished for making the promise and not just the victims age more people might be punished for abusing their powers.

[shineebambi.livejournal.com]

He still emotionally manipulated a child in to getting WhAT he want that's still statutory rape wether she consented or not

[shineebambi.livejournal.com]

He can go fuck off he knew she was underage and he preyed on her desire to be a singer, nothing he says can make him less of a scumbag

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

former member of disbanded Roo’Ra

Roora? He's def innocent.