"Had Bruises on His Body" Director Kim Gyubong, Allegations of Indiscriminate Assault on Late Athlete Choi Sookhyun

Choi Sook-hyun's Teammates "Outraged and Confused as Eyewitnesses"
Parents Called to Slap Daughter Directly
Coach Denies Allegations in National Assembly, Saying "Never Assaulted"

In relation to the late athlete Choi Sook-hyun's death case, on the afternoon of the 6th, Kim Gyu-bong, the coach of Gyeongju Triathlon who was identified as the perpetrator, is entering the meeting room at the Korea Triathlon Federation Sports Fairness Committee held at Olympic Parktel in Songpa-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Kim Gyubong, one of the perpetrators who continuously committed abuse against the late triathlon athlete Choi Sook-hyun, has been testified to have assaulted Choi since she was a minor.

Previously, Coach Kim had completely denied allegations of assault and verbal abuse against Choi.

A, who shared a room with Choi at Gyeongbuk Physical Education High School in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, said in an interview with 'JTBC' on the 7th, "There were many days when Choi came back after being hit by Coach Kim," adding, "Her cheeks were swollen, or she was hit with a bat or kicked, leaving bruises on her body."

A expressed frustration, saying, "From what I heard and saw, it was absurd and embarrassing that those accused at the National Assembly denied the assault."

According to A, Coach Kim had been assaulting Choi since she was a minor. The police also identified circumstances of assault by Coach Kim in 2016 when Choi was a third-year high school student and added charges of child abuse.

On the morning of the 7th, fellow athletes of the late athlete Choi Sook-hyun and members of the Future United Party, including Assemblyman Lee Yong, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, to reveal the damage status related to the death of the late athlete Choi Sook-hyun. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, there was also testimony that Coach Kim called Choi's mother and made her directly hit Choi.

Choi's father told 'JoongAng Ilbo' in an interview, "Around April 2017, Coach Kim slapped my daughter in front of my wife and me and told my wife to slap her daughter directly."

According to Choi's father, at that time, Choi had left the dormitory without permission for two days and then returned. Afterwards, Coach Kim called the couple to the Gyeongbuk City Hall dormitory where Choi was living and gave instructions, saying that since the athlete was at fault, the mother should discipline her directly.

Meanwhile, Coach Kim attended as a witness along with two senior athletes of Choi at the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's standing committee meeting on the 6th, during the 'Emergency Inquiry on Triathlon Athlete Abuse and Human Rights Violations in the Sports Sector.'

When Rep. Lee Yong of the United Future Party asked about the abuse against Choi, Coach Kim said, "That never happened," and "I admit the fault of not knowing the athlete was assaulted as a coach," completely denying the allegations of assault and verbal abuse.

When asked, "What did you do when Choi was being indiscriminately beaten?" he claimed, "I never assaulted her; I heard about the assault and stopped the team doctor."