Late Choi Sook-hyun's Colleagues: "Exposed to 24-Hour Violence and Verbal Abuse... Jang Yoon-jung Demands Top Punishment Priority"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] On the 6th, the teammates of the late triathlon athlete Choi Sook-hyun, who made an extreme choice on the 26th of last month due to harsh treatment within the team, came forward with additional testimony of abuse. They stated, "The Gyeongju City Hall Triathlon Team was a kingdom ruled only by the coach and certain players," and urged strict punishment for the perpetrators. They identified former captain Jang Yoon-jung of Gyeongju City Hall as the "top priority for punishment."

On the same day, Choi’s teammates held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office with Representative Lee Yong and the Future United Party’s "TF (Task Force) for Truth Investigation of Choi’s Case and Protection of Athletes’ Human Rights," revealing detailed accounts of the abuse they suffered.

A player who trained alongside Choi at Gyeongju City Hall, referred to as Player A, disclosed, "Coach Kim Gyu-bong habitually assaulted and verbally abused Choi and other players, and the captain Jang Yoon-jung also led collective ostracism against Choi and us." He testified, "In August 2016, the coach brought 200,000 won worth of bread and forced Choi and me to eat it until dawn and vomit because Choi had gained weight after drinking a glass of cola at lunch. He also beat us on the cheeks and chest for gaining weight after eating nuts and peaches."

Player A further revealed, "During my time at Gyeongju City Hall, I was beaten more than ten days a month," and "I never properly received incentives from the coach, and although support funds were provided whenever we participated in international competitions, I was asked to deposit about 800,000 to 1,000,000 won of my own money into a bank account under the captain’s name."

Another teammate, Player B, also stated at the press conference, "The harsh treatment was not only from the coach but also from the team’s senior captain." He said, "They always sowed discord among players, ostracized us, and drove us into a hellish pit with physical and verbal abuse, causing mental stress that broke us down. Since we shared the same dormitory, we were constantly exposed to the captain’s verbal abuse and violence 24 hours a day, not just during training."

Player B exposed, "The captain called Choi mentally ill and alienated him from other players, preventing close relationships. When Choi was hit by the team doctor and was crying alone while looking at his phone in his room, the captain said it was just a 'show'." He also confessed that during training, he was hit on the head with a water bottle by captain Jang Yoon-jung, grabbed by the collar, dragged to the rooftop, and threatened to jump off, suffering from violence.

He further revealed that the team doctor "caused sexual humiliation by touching the chest and thighs under the pretext of treatment and even said he would 'push Choi, who was undergoing psychological treatment, to the extreme to make him commit suicide.'"

They emphasized, "We know there are still many other victims," and added, "We hope that even now, the perpetrators acknowledge their crimes and are properly punished so that an environment guaranteeing the human rights of all athletes can be established."