Japanese Woman Who Kissed Jin Without Consent Faces Trial, Authorities Issues Warning to Anyone With Malicious Intent

 

On June 13 of last year, Jin held the "Jin Greeting" event as part of the "2024 BTS FESTA" at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa District, Seoul, where he participated in a free hug session with around 1,000 ARMYs. During this event, Ms. A, a 50 year-old Japanese woman, forcibly kissed Jin on the cheek, sparking controversy over sexual harassment.

The woman not only attempted touch Jin's neck but also later published a provocative blog post recounting her experience of "forcing a kiss on an idol." In it, Ms. A wrote, "My lips touched his neck. His skin was incredibly soft."

On June 19 of last year, fans collectively submitted g complaint, arguing that Ms. A had exploited the nature of the "Hug Meeting" event—where participants may find a difficult to explicitly resist or avoid certain actions—to cause feelings of sexual shame or discomfort, thereby violating moral norms. Fans accused Ms. A of committing sexual harassment and infringing upon Jin's sexual autonomy.

The complaint urged immediate action: "The police must promptly investigate this individual under Article 11 of the Act of Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes for Public Harassment and impose strict penalties."

South Korean authorities identifies the suspect in January of this year, seven months after requesting international cooperation from Interpol through the National Police Agency. However, when the court officially filed charged against Ms. A at the end of February and summoned her for questioning, she repeatedly refused to appear.

The situation became mere complicated at the end of March, leading police to temporarily suspend the investigation. But as the saying goes, "paper can't wrap fire." In May of this year, Ms. A finally entered South Korea, voluntarily presented herself to the police, and accepted full legal responsibility. After questioning the suspect, Songpa police referred the prosecution on charges of public sexual harassment under the Act of Special Cases concerning the punishment of sexual crimes.

In the latest development, Sport Kyunghyang reported on November 17 that Eastern Seoul Prosecutor's office confirmed that Ms. A, the Japanese woman in her 50s, was indicted on November 12 under laws concerning sexual crimes for public harassment. The case will proceed to a public trial at criminal court No. 9 of the Eastern Seoul District court (presiding judge: Lee Jung-min).

According to Korean media reports, incidents of celebrities being harassed by fans are becoming increasingly serious. Public and fans pressure has prompted authorities to strengthen investigations and enforcement in such cases. Ms. A's sentencing is also viewed as a warning to others who may harbor malicious intentions toward celebrities in the future. 

Meanwhile, Sports Kyunghyang gathered expert opinions. Attorney Jung Tae-won of LKB Pyeongsan Law Firm stated: "Article 11 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes stipulates that 'anyone who harassed another person in a public place shall be subject to imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 30 million won (about USD 20,490).' Free-hug activities are based on voluntarily participation, but a forced kiss clearly exceeds acceptable boundaries and carries legal consequences." 

He added, "When a foreign national commits a crime in South Korea, the country's criminal law and special laws apply. Ms. A is a Japanese citizen, but because the crime occured in South Korea, she will face criminal proceedings here. If convicted, administrative measures such as deportation or entry bans may also be imposed."

Additionally, Jung emphasized, "The court will consider Jin's testimony regarding the harm, along with any video evidence recorded by the agency and fans, as well as the suspect's intent and attitude of remorse. Above all, with such cases increasing recently, there is a need to strengthen the penalties applied."