Former National Athlete Denies Asset Hiding Allegations Amidst Child Support Ruling
A former national short track speed skating star, Kim Dongseong, has vehemently denied accusations of hiding assets, labeling them as “baseless claims unrelated to facts.” The denial comes in the wake of a recent court ruling that sentenced him to prison for failing to meet his child support obligations for his two children from a previous marriage.
Kim, speaking through his current wife, In Minjeong, via her Instagram account on the 12th, asserted, “I currently have no assets to speak of and am a credit defaulter with my bank accounts seized. All these facts were submitted during the police investigation and have already been clearly confirmed by the authorities.”
Claims of Deception and Misrepresentation
Earlier on the same day, a media report surfaced, citing a source close to Kim, alleging that he had boasted of a high income, financed his current spouse’s child’s education abroad, and intended to wait until his children from his ex-spouse reached adulthood before fully addressing his financial responsibilities.
Kim directly refuted these claims. “I have never once stated that I would wait until my child becomes an adult,” he stated. “On the contrary, I have publicly declared multiple times that I would take full responsibility for child support regardless of the child’s age.”
Explaining Employment Challenges and Family Circumstances
Regarding suspicions that he had been earning undisclosed income as a youth ice skating coach, Kim offered an explanation. “While it is true I worked as a youth ice skating coach for a period, repeated and indiscriminate media reports pressured my employers to terminate my contracts, forcing me to work only on short-term agreements,” he explained. “Teaching children was a source of great pride, but I have been deprived of even the chance to work.”
Addressing the matter of his current wife’s daughter’s residence in the United States, Kim clarified, “My wife In Minjeong has a daughter who is a U.S. citizen. The father initially supported her seven-month stay in the U.S., but when support stopped, she returned to Korea and is now preparing for the high school equivalency exam.”
In Minjeong also shared her distress over the reports, posting a screenshot of the article on her Instagram with a poignant message: “What on earth is the reason for this? Are you hoping for a divorce? Do you want to see Kim Dongseong destroyed? Or are you wishing for someone’s death? It’s unbearable.”
Court Ruling and Sentencing Details
The legal proceedings leading to Kim’s sentencing began on the 10th. Judge Kang Young-sun of the Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division 14 handed down a six-month prison sentence to Kim, who had been indicted without detention for violating the Act on Securing and Supporting Child Rearing Expenses. This sentence was notably harsher than the prosecution’s requested four-month term. During the trial, Kim admitted to unpaid child support totaling approximately 90 million Korean won.
Judge Kang detailed the history of non-compliance. “Despite a 2018 divorce ruling requiring him to pay 3 million Korean won monthly for his two minor children, he paid only part of it,” the judge stated. “After his own request reduced the amount to 1.6 million Korean won, he paid some arrears following a detention order from his ex-spouse but has not paid anything for approximately 3 years and 10 months since then.” The judge further commented on Kim’s perceived priorities, adding, “The defendant appears to prioritize maintaining his own living standards over supporting his children, and his vague repayment plans raise doubts about his genuine intent to fulfill obligations.”
Conditional Release and Future Implications
Despite the severity of the sentence, the court opted not to detain Kim immediately. The judge reasoned, “It seems more appropriate for the protection of the minors to compel payment of overdue child support within a set period rather than imprisoning the defendant right away.” However, a stern warning was issued: “If the defendant fails to meet payment obligations by the appeal trial, he may serve the sentence.” This conditional release underscores the court’s intent to prioritize the well-being of the children while providing Kim an opportunity to rectify his financial obligations.
