Victim Posts Video of Kim's Attempted Sexual Assault on TikTok
YouTuber Apologizes to Victim and Reaches Settlement
'Muslim YouTuber' Kim Mo (29) uploaded an apology video on his YouTube channel on the 25th after controversy arose over allegations of sexual assault last year. Photo by YouTube screenshot.
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] It was recently revealed that Kim Mo (29), a 'Muslim YouTuber' with 2.27 million subscribers, was subject to prosecution last year for attempting sexual assault.
A foreign woman posted a video on the mobile video-sharing app 'TikTok' on the 23rd, stating, "On my first day in Korea, Kim Mo sexually assaulted me," and shared footage of the incident at that time.
The woman continued, "I need to gather more evidence, but he blocked me on my SNS," adding, "The Korean police did not protect me and did not punish him."
As the video spread and the controversy grew, Kim uploaded a video on his YouTube channel two days later, on the 25th, to explain himself.
He said, "On June 27 last year, I was very drunk and went to the accommodation of a woman I met at a club in Hongdae. We talked and I fell asleep, but when I woke up, the woman was shouting at me," adding, "At first, I thought I did not (commit sexual assault), but after hearing the woman's words, I realized it was wrong, felt guilty, and personally met her to apologize."
In the video, he showed a settlement and withdrawal of complaint document submitted to the police with the victim, claiming that the victim accepted his apology, reached a settlement, and withdrew the accusation.
Kim further stated, "One of the terms agreed upon with the victim was to post an apology on SNS, and as promised, I posted the apology." However, he admitted that he deleted it a month later out of fear of being criticized by people.
The victim, after watching Kim's apology video, responded, "The reason I agreed to the settlement at the time was because the police said that even if I did not want it, he could be punished. But the police did not keep their promise. I told the truth and did not forgive him."
Regarding this case, a police official stated, "Sexual crimes are not offenses that require the victim's consent to prosecute, so even if there is a settlement, criminal punishment is possible." The police sent Kim to the prosecution last August on charges of quasi-rape, but the prosecution decided to suspend indictment.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
