Former Daegu FC Player Indicted and Detained for Wonsan Bombing and Sexual Assault

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] The Daegu District Prosecutors' Office's Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Jang Hye-young) announced on the 25th that former Daegu FC player A has been arrested and indicted on charges of molesting or assaulting junior players (violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, etc.).

A is accused of forcing the victim to endure harsh acts such as "headbutting" (Wonsan bombing) four times at the Daegu FC players' dormitory from March to October 2018, and molesting the victim nine times by touching specific parts of the body during a similar period. He is also accused of ordering another junior player to "headbutt" in the spring of 2017.

The court held a pre-arrest hearing for A on the 10th and issued an arrest warrant, citing "risk of flight," and he has been under investigation in custody since then.

The crime was brought to public attention after the victim's family posted a petition on the Blue House National Petition Board in April titled "I want the football team that ignored the sexual harassment and violence against my younger brother, the victim, and the offending player to be properly punished."

The petitioner stated, "The senior forced my brother to 'headbutt' while stripping him in front of his roommate, and the roommate secretly recorded this scene at my brother's request," indicating that there is video evidence. They also said, "They threatened to torture him when he returned from outings or overnight stays via text messages and mobile messenger."

They expressed anger, saying, "Currently, the offender is coaching students as a director at a football club run by the leadership of a club from the same region, receiving an excellent coach award, and living normally, which makes me furious."

As the controversy grew, Daegu FC apologized, saying, "We sincerely apologize to our fans for the unfortunate issue between former players posted on the National Petition Board. We recognize the seriousness of the matter and plan to make every effort to quickly ascertain the facts. We promise to devote more attention to player management and fan communication as a result of this incident."