Actor Kim Soo-hyun acknowledged that he dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron, but he denied the rumors of 'minor relationship' stating that it happened after she became an adult. In the meantime, a petition containing the demand to raise the age of consent for sexual crimes against minors, known as the 'Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Law,' has surpassed the threshold for the National Assembly’s public agreement.
According to the National Assembly on the 7th, support for the petition titled 'Petition regarding the bill to raise the age for statutory rape against minors and strengthen punishment, aka the Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Law' has surpassed 50,000 signatures. As the petition meets the requirements for approval, it is expected to be referred to a relevant committee in the National Assembly.
The petitioner, identified as A, posted on the National Assembly's electronic petition homepage on the 31st of last month under the title 'Petition regarding the bill to raise the age for statutory rape against minors and strengthen punishment, aka the Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Law.'
A noted, “Unfortunately, the current statutory rape law only protects children aged 13 to under 16, making it a reality that Kim Soo-hyun cannot be legally punished. Although South Korean law clearly defines minors as individuals under 18 years of age, the age limitation of the statutory rape law that protects only those aged 13 to under 16 allows pedophiles to evade legal consequences.”
He added, “I petition for the amendment of the statutory rape law for minors under the name 'Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Law' to prevent such cases from happening again.”
Earlier, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, denied the allegations of a minor relationship on the 14th of last month. Gold Medalist stated, “Kim Soo-hyun started dating Kim Sae-ron in the summer of 2019, after she became an adult, and continued until the fall of 2020.”
Kim Soo-hyun also stated in a press conference on the 31st of last month, “I did not date the deceased when she was a minor,” adding, “There is no fact that I dated a minor or that I pressured them with money.” He continued, “I cannot accept the family’s threats and coercion to acknowledge false facts, nor the attack of being called a 'murderer.'”
A handwritten letter from Kim Sae-ron to Kim Soo-hyun, disclosed by the bereaved family, includes statements such as, “The period we met was about 5 to 6 years,” and “You were my first love and my last love.” The letter was revealed alongside photos and videos of the two by a YouTuber.
Kim Soo-hyun's side is preparing a lawsuit amounting to 12 billion won against the bereaved family, a friend referred to as an aunt, and a YouTuber.