Internal Lecturer Sexual Harassment Known but Not Reported
Disciplinary Reconsideration Can Be Requested Within 7 Days
Former national fencing representative Nam Hyun-hee has been subjected to the highest level of disciplinary action, 'expulsion,' by the Seoul Fencing Association.
On the 20th, Yonhap News reported, "The Seoul Fencing Association held the 3rd Sports Fairness Committee meeting on the 18th and decided to expel Nam Hyun-hee, the head of Nam Hyun-hee Fencing Academy." Expulsion is the highest level of disciplinary action within the federation. However, Nam can apply for a reconsideration of the disciplinary action within 7 days. If the disciplinary action is finalized, Nam will no longer be able to maintain her status as a coach.
Former national fencing representative Nam Hyun-hee, who is accused of being an accomplice in Jeon Cheong-jo's fraud case, is appearing at the Songpa Police Station in Seoul on November 8th last year. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
Nam received the expulsion because the Sports Ethics Center passed a 'disciplinary request' against her in March. Earlier, the Sports Ethics Center judged that Nam failed to fulfill her duties as a coach by not reporting despite being aware of human rights violations against academy students due to a sexual violence incident.
In July of last year, a complaint was filed with the police by victims alleging that Coach A, who worked at Nam’s academy in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, sexually harassed two minor students for several months. According to the National Sports Promotion Act and the Enforcement Rules of the Promotion Act issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, coaches affiliated with sports organizations under the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, as well as those operating private academies, must immediately report any suspected human rights violations or corruption in the sports community to the Sports Ethics Center or investigative authorities. After Coach A was accused and the sexual violence allegations became public within the academy, A reportedly took extreme measures. Due to this, the police investigation could not proceed, and in October of last year, the Sports Ethics Center began a delayed fact-finding investigation at the request of the victims. After six months of investigation, the Sports Ethics Center concluded in March that Nam was aware of the sexual violence incident involving A but did not report it, and thus disciplinary action against Nam was necessary.
Meanwhile, Nam was investigated on charges of being an accomplice to her ex-boyfriend Jeon Cheong-jo (28), who committed a multi-billion won investment fraud, but was ultimately cleared of charges. On March 4th, the Songpa Police Station in Seoul announced that Nam was not prosecuted on charges including fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, determining that she did not conspire with Jeon in the fraud.
Jeon impersonated a hidden successor of the Paradise Hotel from April 2022 to October 2023 and swindled about 3 billion won from 27 people under the pretense of investment funds. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial in February. Nam was sued as an accomplice by the fraud victims for receiving luxury foreign cars and designer goods from Jeon, but she denied the accomplice allegations, claiming she was also a victim.
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