'No Contact' Agreement Breached... Court Orders Im Hye-dong to Pay Kim Ha-seong 800 Million Won

4 Billion Won Paid in 2021 Drinking Party Assault Settlement
Blackmail Charges Filed After 'No Contact' Condition Violated

Former baseball player Lim Hye-dong (28), who is accused of extorting a large sum of money from Major Leaguer Kim Ha-sung (29, San Diego Padres) in a 'drinking party assault' incident, has been ordered by the court to pay Kim 800 million won for violating the settlement terms.

On the 30th, the Civil Division 25 of the Seoul Central District Court ruled in a penalty claim lawsuit filed by Kim against Lim, ordering "the defendant to pay the plaintiff 800 million won," according to a report by Yonhap News on the 31st.

Former professional baseball player Lim Hye-dong, who is accused of threatening Major Leaguer Kim Ha-seong and extorting hundreds of millions of won, is leaving the courthouse after completing the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing) at the Seoul Central District Court on January 25.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The two, who were senior and junior colleagues, got into a physical altercation while drinking together at a bar in Gangnam, Seoul, in February 2021. At that time, Lim was working as a manager at the agency to which Kim belonged. Lim extorted 400 million won in two installments from Kim, who was serving as a soldier under special military service exemption, under the pretext of a settlement payment. Kim set the condition for the settlement payment that Lim would not contact him directly or indirectly or engage in any harmful actions against him in the future.

However, Lim broke this promise and continued to contact Kim afterward. Eventually, Kim filed a criminal complaint against Lim for extortion at the end of last year and also filed a civil lawsuit claiming penalty damages. Following the investigation, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul found Lim guilty of extortion and attempted extortion and sent him to the prosecution without detention. Additionally, the police uncovered evidence through mobile phone forensics that agency team leader Park (last name) conspired with Lim in the crime, and Park was also referred to the prosecution on extortion charges. During the investigation, the police also detected signs that Lim extorted several hundred million won from baseball player Ryu Hyun-jin (37) using a similar method.

Lim joined the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom Heroes) professional baseball team as a pitcher in 2015 but left the team the following year without debuting in the first team.

Meanwhile, Kim Ha-sung was placed on the 10-day injured list (IL) on the 20th due to inflammation in his right shoulder. MLB.com, which covers Major League Baseball news, reported on the 30th (Korean time) that Kim moved to the San Diego Padres' spring training facility in Glendale, Arizona, where he was participating in live batting practice facing pitches from pitchers. He is expected to return to play in the game scheduled for the 3rd of next month at his home stadium, San Diego's Petco Park.