A well-known variety show producer (PD) has been formally charged with sexually assaulting a junior colleague, after surveillance footage reportedly contradicted his previous denials.
According to Yonhap News on February 27, Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office indicted PD A without detention on February 24 on charges of sexual assault. A is accused of unwanted physical contact with a junior staff member while returning home from a company dinner in Sangam-dong, Seoul, last August. Reports indicate he allegedly touched the junior’s neck and put his arm around their shoulder during the incident.
Seoul Mapo Police, who initially investigated the case, concluded in December that while physical contact occurred, there was insufficient evidence to prove intent to sexually harass, and they decided not to prosecute. A himself has denied the allegations, stating, “The contact was only a friendly gesture, like patting shoulders or putting an arm around someone to encourage them at the end of the gathering.”
However, after the victim filed an objection on January 15, the case was transferred back to the prosecution, which requested additional security investigations on January 27.
During this renewed investigation, CCTV footage reportedly showed the victim pushing A away and attempting to avoid him, significantly altering the understanding of the incident. Based on the new evidence, prosecutors determined that the sexual assault charges were substantiated, and A has been brought to trial without being detained.
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