Third Party Emerges in 'Kim Gun-mo Assault Case' Claiming "We Reached an Agreement at the Time"

Singer Kim Gun-mo, who is accused of sexual assault, is answering questions from reporters after leaving Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the afternoon of the 15th of last month, following his suspect investigation.
/Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] Doubts have been raised that the claims made by woman A, who alleges she was assaulted by singer Kim Gun-mo, contain falsehoods.

On the 5th, SBS funE reported, "We have confirmed the stories of the other two people directly involved in the Kim Gun-mo assault case," featuring interviews with entertainment venue employee B and the venue manager C. C is a figure never mentioned in A's testimony.

In the interview, B claimed that she was unilaterally assaulted by A at the time. B said, "While I was with a customer in another room, A, intoxicated, started a quarrel," adding, "She said I had taken away the so-called 'designated customer' of the woman she managed."

B continued, "When I went to the empty room after being called by A, as soon as I sat lightly on the table, she kicked my stomach," and "From then on, the punching started without giving me a chance to resist. Eventually, she swung an ashtray beside her and hit my head, and I almost lost consciousness. C came running after hearing the commotion," she explained.

C said, "When I entered the room, B was bleeding from her head. When I tried to stop them, A got more agitated and rampaged," adding, "Hearing screams, Kim Gun-mo ran in asking, 'What’s going on?'"

C also claimed, "When Kim Gun-mo came in, B was unconscious, and A was still agitated, so I was holding her back," and "Kim Gun-mo also got involved in the scuffle. He probably hit her too. However, I remember there was no blood at all," he asserted.

According to C, the venue mediated a settlement between A and Kim Gun-mo. Kim Gun-mo’s agency, which was preparing to release his 11th album at the time, accepted the proposal and reportedly handed over the settlement money. C said, "A received money from Kim Gun-mo and then gave a settlement payment to B with that money."

Mr. A claimed last December through the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) that he was assaulted by Kim Gun-mo at a nightclub in Gangnam, Seoul, in January 2007.
Photo by Garosero Research Institute YouTube capture

Earlier, in December last year, A claimed through the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) that she was assaulted by Kim Gun-mo at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam, Seoul, in January 2007.

A (then 25) alleged that she was punched multiple times by Kim Gun-mo, resulting in injuries including orbital fractures, and released copies of medical records and details of the incident.

According to A, in January 2007, she suffered injuries such as orbital fractures, nasal bone fractures, and eye hemorrhaging after being punched by Kim Gun-mo at a bar.

A described the assault situation, saying that during an argument with Kim Gun-mo’s female partner at the bar, Kim Gun-mo came in and hit her. She further claimed, "Kim Gun-mo grabbed my hair, pushed me down, and then punched my face and stomach."

Regarding why she did not report the incident at the time, A revealed, "I tried to report to the police, but Kim Gun-mo and the venue owner prevented me. There was also intimidation. I was very scared of Kim Gun-mo."

In particular, A said, "At the time, MBC came to cover the incident," adding, "Kim Gun-mo and the venue owner prevented anyone from contacting me, so no one met me, and the reporters left."

An MBC official explained the allegations of a cover-up, saying, "At the time, a reporter on duty received a tip and went out to cover the story in the morning. They met the victim and a man claiming to be her older brother at the hospital," adding, "The older brother said they were about to settle and told us 'Do not publish this article under any circumstances.'" The official added, "Since it was an assault incident at a nightlife venue, we were concerned about secondary damage, and the victim did not want it reported."

Last month, Kim Gun-mo filed a lawsuit against A for defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.