Suspicion of Producing Sexual Exploitation Material, Former Lotte Pitcher Seo Jun-won... "I Didn't Know They Were Minors"

Former Lotte Giants pitcher Seo Jun-won was revealed to have threatened to distribute photos exposing major body parts of a minor and forced obscene acts during video calls.

The Busan District Court Criminal Division 5 (Chief Judge Jang Gi-seok) held the first trial on the morning of the 31st for Seo Jun-won, who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of sexual exploitation materials, etc.).

On the morning of the 31st, former Lotte Giants pitcher Seo Jun-won is leaving the courtroom at the Busan District Court after his first trial on charges including violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sexual Offenses.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On that day, Seo appeared in court wearing a black suit and mask. Seo’s defense attorney requested a closed trial, but the court did not accept the request.

According to the prosecution, Seo Jun-won is accused of deceiving victim A, whom he met in a KakaoTalk open chat room on August 18 of last year, by promising to give pocket money, demanding photos exposing body parts, and sending sexually explicit messages 60 times.

He is also accused of producing sexual exploitation materials by receiving photos exposing major body parts of victim A seven times, and threatening to distribute the photos unless she showed obscene acts during video calls.

Seo Jun-won’s defense attorney claimed, “There is no dispute over the general facts, but Seo did not know that the other party was a minor at the time of the crime.”

Immediately after the trial, Seo Jun-won told reporters, “I left the team due to an unfortunate incident ahead of the opening and caused significant damage to the team and the KBO. I am truly sorry to the fans who took care of me and supported me a lot.”

Former Lotte Giants pitcher Seo Jun-won. [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) decided to suspend Seo Jun-won’s participation activities. Accordingly, Seo is prohibited from participating in all KBO League team activities until the suspension ends.

The Lotte Giants team released Seo Jun-won considering the seriousness of the illegal acts, and the Choi Dong-won Memorial Association revoked the award from Seo Jun-won, the first recipient of the High School Choi Dong-won Award, and removed him from the list of awardees.