Woman Indicted For Sexually Harassing BTS’s Jin
A woman accused of forcibly molesting BTS member Jin has been indicted by the prosecution.
The alleged perpetrator, a Japanese woman in her 50s referred as Ms. A, was reportedly indicted without detention by the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office on November 12, KST.
Ms. A stands accused of forcibly kissing the BTS member in 2024 during a “Free Hug” fan event held at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul. The act was caught on multiple audience members’ cameras and sparked a major controversy at that time. In the clip, Jin was visibly uncomfortable as the woman wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a sudden kiss.
Korean Netizens React To Fans Kissing BTS’s Jin At Hug Event
Enraged fans immediately demanded legal consequences for the woman’s behavior and filed a petition through South Korea’s e-People petition portal. The Songpa Police Station eventually booked Ms. A and requested her to appear for questioning. However, the investigation was suspended in March as it was speculated that getting her to return to Korea would take significant time. Ms. A then voluntarily appeared at the police station for questioning.
Police To Halt Investigation Against Fan Charged For Kissing BTS’s Jin
According to reports from November 17, KST, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office has indicted Ms. A on charges of sexual assault in a crowded public place under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. The case will be transferred to the 9th Criminal Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jung Min) for further trial.
Regarding this matter, attorney Jung Tae Won from LKB Pyeonsan Law Firm gave his expert opinion, stating that the charges Ms. A has been booked under could lead her to get punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine, not exceeding ₩30.0 million KRW (about $20,500 USD). He added, “While a free hug presupposes a voluntary embrace, a kiss clearly exceeds the scope of the act and carries legal consequences.”
Attorney Jung also provided his input about Ms. A’s status as a foreigner, explaining that when a foreigner commits a crime in Korea, the Korean Criminal Code and special laws apply to them. So, even though she is a Japanese citizen, since the incident occurred in Korea, she will face a criminal trial in a Korean court. If a sentence is finalized, she might also face administrative sanctions such as deportation and an entry ban.
Netizens have reacted strongly to the news, demanding the maximum punishment to set a precedence.
- “An entry ban would be good.”
- “I hope it gets handled well.”
- “Why would she even do that?”
- “Whoa…”
- “In her 50s? Whoa…”
- “That’s great. I was so shocked when I saw it happen at the venue.”
