A petition to amend South Korea’s statutory rape laws has gained over 30,000 signatures after actor Kim Soo-hyun’s emotional press conference on Monday. The petition calls for extending legal protections to those aged 13 to 19, following allegations involving the late Kim Sae-ron.
The petition, dubbed the “Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Act,” criticizes current laws that only protect individuals aged 13 to 16. The petitioner argued that these laws allowed Kim Soo-hyun, accused of grooming Kim Sae-ron when she was underage, to avoid legal repercussions.
In addition to expanding the age limit, the petition demands harsher penalties for sexual offenses involving minors, including a minimum of two years in prison for indecent acts and five years for rape.
By Wednesday afternoon, the petition had gathered 33,643 signatures. If the petition reaches 50,000 signatures within 30 days, it will be reviewed by the National Assembly.
Kim Soo-hyun has faced intense public scrutiny after allegations of a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. The actor denied the claims, stating their relationship began in 2019, when Kim Sae-ron was 19.
In response, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency filed a lawsuit seeking damages of 12 billion won ($8.18 million) against a woman claiming to be Kim Sae-ron’s aunt and a far-right YouTube channel, HoverLab, which has spread the controversy.
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