On May 28, lawyer Ko Sang Rok - Kim Soo Hyun's legal representative - appeared on MBC's "News Today" program to speak out about the case related to YouTuber Kim Sae Eui.
According to the lawyer, the focus of the case is the accusations that Kim Soo Hyun once had a long-term romantic relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron from when she was a minor. In addition, the actor's side was also accused of putting pressure to demand debt through the management company, causing Kim Sae Ron to fall into crisis.
However, Kim Soo Hyun's side affirmed that this information is false and said that many evidences were intentionally forged. Lawyer Ko Sang Rok said that the text messages on the KakaoTalk application (a form of messaging and calling application) as well as the audio files believed to be of Kim Sae Ron have been edited to serve the charges.
Speaking about the damage, Kim Soo Hyun's lawyer said that the seriousness of the incident and the losses it caused are very large. He emphasized that the investigating agency is particularly concerned about the risk of destroying or falsifying evidence, because the incident itself is related to the suspicion of creating false evidence.
This is an act of creating false evidence to reinforce fabricated accusations," lawyer Ko said on television.
He also mentioned the possibility of many related parties participating, causing authorities to worry about the coordination of testimonies.
In the interview, lawyer Ko Sang Rok criticized the phenomenon of "cyber wrecker" - a term used to refer to individuals who make profits by spreading rumors and exploiting celebrity scandals on social networks under the guise of "for justice".
According to Kim Soo Hyun's side, this incident far exceeds the usual controversies in the Korean entertainment industry. Not only unverified rumors have been spread, but even documents such as messages and recordings are also said to have been edited.
The actor's lawyer emphasized that Kim Soo Hyun is an internationally influential star, so the incident has seriously damaged his reputation in many countries. He called this "an organized and planned social crime", aimed at destroying the image as well as the life of an actor loved by the public.
Regarding civil lawsuits, the lawyer revealed that Kim Soo Hyun's side had filed a claim for 12 billion won (about 8 million USD) immediately after the controversy broke out last year. However, the damage figure is now said to have increased sharply.
According to documents sent to the investigating agency, the current damage is estimated at about 30 billion won (nearly 20 million USD). Kim Soo Hyun's legal side said they are considering further increasing the compensation level in the near future.
