Late Choi Sook-hyun Abuse and Money Embezzlement by Team Doctor "External Figure, Not Affiliated with Team"

Forced feeding of bread and other harsh acts involved
Also took players' money under the pretext of medical expenses
Suspected of practicing without a medical license... "Will be separately punished"

The late triathlete Choi Sook-hyun, who competed as a national and youth representative, winning a gold medal at the 2013 National Marine Sports Festival. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] It has been revealed that the team doctor of the Gyeongju City Hall team, where the late triathlete and national representative Choi Sookhyun, who died by suicide, was a member, was involved in the assault case. The team doctor was reportedly close to the Gyeongju City Hall coach and even demanded money from the deceased’s family under the pretext of psychiatric treatment.

According to recordings and petitions disclosed on the 2nd by Lee Yong, a member of the United Future Party, Choi was subjected to harsh treatment including assault and verbal abuse from as early as February 2016 during a training camp in New Zealand, before officially joining Gyeongju City Hall.

The four individuals who continuously assaulted Choi were Kim (surname), the Gyeongju City Hall coach; Ahn (surname), who served as the team doctor; and two senior athletes. Earlier, the deceased had submitted a petition to the Korea Sports Council in April, stating that she had been assaulted by these individuals for several years.

Among them, team doctor Ahn was found to have actively participated in the harsh treatment, including assaulting Choi for not reporting to Coach Kim that she had eaten one peach in the morning, as well as subjecting her to food torture.

Listening to the audio files from that time, one can hear Ahn saying "Bite your teeth" followed by multiple slapping sounds on the cheek.

During the assault, Ahn also drank alcohol with Coach Kim. When Kim said, "Let's have a drink, sir. I cooked kongbiji jjigae (soybean pulp stew)," Ahn requested wine. While the two drank wine with the stew as an accompaniment, the deceased sobbed beside them.

Ahn also forced the deceased to eat bread worth 200,000 won as a harsh punishment for ordering a carbonated drink at a meal.

Furthermore, Ahn reportedly demanded money from the deceased and other athletes under the pretext of treatment fees. In the petition, the deceased claimed, "The team doctor demanded money 16 times under the names of physical therapy and psychological treatment fees."

Rep. Lee Yong of the United Future Party revealed the content of the last message sent by national team athlete Choi Sook-hyun to her mother at a press conference held at the National Assembly on the 1st. / Photo by Lee Yong

The deceased was unable to refuse Ahn’s demands, who had influence within the team at the time, and could not even ask what the money was used for. The total amount transferred from the accounts in the names of the deceased and her family to Ahn’s account was approximately 15 million won.

Ahn was not officially affiliated with the Gyeongju City Hall team but was known to have been temporarily hired at his own expense when the team went on overseas training camps. It was also reported that he acted as a team doctor without a medical license.

On the 2nd, Yeo Jung-gi, chairman of the Gyeongju City Sports Council in North Gyeongsang Province, said about Ahn, "Although I have not seen the police investigation, I understand that Ahn, who acted as the team doctor, does not have a medical license," and explained, "He is not a member of the Gyeongju City Hall professional team but was called from outside as needed for overseas training and other purposes."

He added, "He notified us that he could not attend the personnel committee due to poor health caused by a recurrence of cancer," and said, "I understand that he will be separately punished by the prosecution for acting without a medical license."

The deceased ended her life by suicide in the early morning of the 26th of last month at the team dormitory in Busan. Before her death, she wrote in a KakaoTalk chatroom to her mother, "Mom, I love you. Please reveal the guilt of those people."

In March, the deceased filed a complaint against four individuals, including Coach Kim and Ahn, who continuously subjected her to harsh treatment, on charges of assault. Subsequently, the Gyeongju Police Station in North Gyeongsang Province forwarded the case to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment. Currently, the Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office has assigned the case to the Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yang).

Meanwhile, the Gyeongju City Sports Council held a personnel committee at 2 p.m. on the 2nd regarding the death of Choi and decided to suspend Coach Kim from his duties. On that day, the Sports Council held a hearing with three people, including Coach Kim and two athletes from Gyeongju City Hall.

Regarding team doctor Ahn, who is suspected of assaulting the deceased, additional investigations will be conducted before filing charges.