A star PD, known for directing popular variety shows over several seasons, has been accused of sexual assault by a staff member with whom he worked.
According to Korean Economic Daily on the 31st, the staff member, referred to as B, who participated in the new season production of the program, filed a complaint against A for sexual assault at the Mapo Police Station in Seoul last August. Police have completed their investigation of B, and evidence including closed-circuit (CC) TV footage has reportedly been submitted.
B claims to have suffered unwanted physical contact from A during a group dinner. After B expressed discomfort, A allegedly made derogatory remarks and then unilaterally notified B of their withdrawal from the show.
B attempted to resolve the issue internally but felt that no appropriate action was taken, leading to the filing of the complaint. B also reported the harassment and bullying issues to the company, but the production company’s internal investigation reportedly only acknowledged some instances of sexual assault, while dismissing the bullying claims.
In contrast, A denies all allegations. A has appealed parts that were recognized during the company’s investigation, and B has also contested the investigation results, with both parties currently filing appeals.
The police are currently verifying the facts based on the submitted materials, and the level of punishment is expected to be determined depending on further investigative results.