Prosecutors Request Completion Order for Child Abuse Treatment Program
Suspects Deposit 6 Million Won...Rejected by Victim's Side
The prosecution has summarily indicted Coach Son Woong-jung, father of national soccer player Son Heung-min, and others on charges of child abuse at the youth soccer training institution 'SON Soccer Academy' operated by him.
On the 30th, Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office announced that it had summarily indicted three individuals?Coach Son, Head Coach Son Heung-yoon, and Coach A?on charges of child abuse under the Child Welfare Act for physically assaulting or verbally abusing the victim children. The prosecution stated, "The summary indictment was made according to case handling standards," but did not disclose the specific amount of fines.
A summary indictment is a procedure in which the court is requested to impose fines or penalties based solely on written review instead of a formal trial. If neither the parties nor the court express the intention to proceed to a formal trial, the sentence becomes final. Along with the summary indictment of Coach Son and others, the prosecution also ordered completion of a child abuse treatment program. However, no employment restriction order related to child-related institutions was requested.
According to the victim children, Coach Son and others recently deposited a total of 6 million won, 2 million won each, with the court, and the victims responded that they would not claim the deposit.
Coach Son and others are accused of physically or emotionally abusing the victim children. The victims filed a complaint on March 19, stating, "On March 9, during training camp in Okinawa, Head Coach Son Heung-yoon struck a thigh with a corner kick pole, causing injuries that required two weeks of treatment," accusing Coach Son and others.
According to statements given by the complainants to investigative authorities, the players on the victim children’s team, who lost the match at that time, were ordered by Head Coach Son to run from the goalpost to the center line within 20 seconds. However, when four players including the victim children failed to meet the time, they testified that they were struck on the buttocks with the corner kick pole while in a prone position.
Statements also included that Coach Son verbally abused them during training from March 7 to 12, the Okinawa training camp period, either for making mistakes or for poor basic skills training. It was also testified that Coach A repeatedly struck the buttocks and calves of academy players living together in the dormitory, pulled their sideburns, or hit their heads.
Regarding this incident, Coach Son stated, "I swear that there was never any word or action by the academy coaches that was not based on love for the children," and added, "I will reflect on the fact that I failed to catch up with the changing times and legal standards and only coached the children in my own way."
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