Soccer player Ki Sung-yueng expressed his feelings after receiving a partial victory in the first trial of a damages lawsuit against elementary school juniors who claimed they had been sexually assaulted by him.

Ki said on the 10th via his social media account, "I don’t know how time has passed over the past four years. The reason I was able to endure and wait for such a long time is because I believed that the truth would be revealed."

Ki noted, "It was truly difficult and hard to prove something that did not exist, but ultimately I learned a valuable lesson that truth prevails and lies reveal themselves." He added, "Many lawyers advised me not to engage in such a long and arduous battle. However, living a life that is misunderstood and ridiculed due to false information was harder than death."

He continued, "I sincerely thank everyone who believed in and supported me. I also deeply appreciate those who prayed with me."

On the 9th, the 14th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (presided over by Judge Jeong Ha-jeong) issued a partial ruling in a damages claim lawsuit filed by Ki against A and B. The court ordered, "A and B shall jointly pay Ki 100 million won."

A and B are juniors who participated in the soccer club at an elementary school in Jeonnam with Ki, and they exposed that they were sexually assaulted by Ki and others around June 2000. In response, Ki completely denied the allegations of sexual assault, criminally accused A and B, and claimed 500 million won in damages for mental suffering caused by the spread of false information.

Below is the full statement from Ki Sung-yueng

I don’t know how time has passed over the past four years. The reason I was able to endure and wait for such a long time is because I believed that the truth would be revealed. It was truly difficult and hard to prove something that did not exist, but ultimately I learned a valuable lesson that truth prevails and lies reveal themselves. Many lawyers advised me not to engage in such a long and arduous battle. However, living a life that is misunderstood and ridiculed due to false information was harder than death.

I sincerely thank everyone who believed in and supported me. I also deeply appreciate those who prayed with me.

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