The controversy surrounding the once globally respected actor Kim Soo Hyun has now escalated even further. Not only that, the Kim Soo Hyun alleged child grooming controversy might have just become the crucial turning point that South Korean citizens have been waiting for, completely changing the law in the country, especially with the upcoming petition.
So, what kind of petition are the citizens demanding? And how does this Kim Soo Hyun controversy potentially change the South Korean law? Join us in an in-depth discussion below.
Kim Soo Hyun Controversy Raises New Petition Against Statutory Rape Limitation
The controversy over child grooming and underage dating involving actor Kim Soo Hyun and the late actress Kim Sae Ron could become a significant turning point in South Korean law. Despite repeated denials and a recent press conference, the public remains unconvinced by Kim Soo Hyun’s statements, especially after HOVERLAB released new pictures and videos with confirmed timestamps.
Therefore, South Korean citizens began raising a new petition in response to the Kim Soo Hyun controversy. This new petition gained attention for urging the South Korean National Assembly to raise the legal age for statutory rape along with the related penalties.
Now famous as the “Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act,” this petition demands extending the protection of minors under the law from “13 to under 16” to “13 to under 19.”
Details and Demands of the Petition
The petition first emerged on March 31, 2025, through the National Assembly’s online petition platform. In the post, the petitioner argued that the current law is too lenient on child predators.
“Recently, the nation was outraged after it was revealed that a Hallyu star, XXX, committed grooming sexual offenses against a minor, XXX, who was a child actor at the time while the perpetrator was already an adult.
Unfortunately, the current statutory rape law only protects children between the ages of 13 and 16, making it impossible to punish OOO under this law legally.
Even though South Korean law clearly defines a minor as anyone under the age of 18, the current statutory rape law arbitrarily limits protection to only those between 13 and 16 years old.
As a result, a pedophile who lured and deceived a promising young actress from her childhood, ultimately leading to her death, was able to evade justice due to this age restriction.”
Petition for the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act.
Therefore, they demand that the government extend the age and apply stricter punishment, including:
- Increase Age Protection:
- Change the legal age for statutory rape protection from “13 to under 16” to “13 to under 19.”
- This means that this law would protect minors up to the age of 18.
- Stronger Punishments:
- Replace the current punishment of a fine for molestation with at least 2 years in prison.
- Increase the punishment for rape from a minimum of 2 years in prison to a minimum of 5 years.
Since its first submission, the petition has gained massive support by the end of April 1, 2025. If the petition reaches 50,000 signatures by April 30th, it will be forwarded for formal review by the appropriate parliamentary committees.
Meanwhile, on the same day when the petition was up, Kim Soo Hyun addressed the controversy in a press conference. He firmly denies both the accusations of an underage relationship and the claims that he had coerced Kim Sae Ron over financial matters.
How the Kim Soo Hyun Controversy Possibly Changes the Korean Law Through the Petition
The unfolding controversy involving Kim Soo Hyun and the late Kim Sae Ron may mark a crucial turning point in South Korean law and other legal policies.
As the “Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act” gains more momentum, the public is not only calling for justice for Kim Sae Ron’s case. They have now demanded broader changes to protect minors from child grooming and exploitation.
Therefore, if the petition secures the necessary 50,000 signatures by April 30, it will move to the next stage of consideration. Parliamentary committees will conduct a formal review, resulting in a massive turning point in how South Korea defines and addresses statutory rape cases.
Regardless of the outcome, this case has sparked crucial discussions about protecting minors from sexual exploitation and closing legal loopholes.
The danger of child grooming is not something we can just overlook. That is why the public is demanding massive reform of the South Korean legal system.
But what do you think? If you were a South Korean citizen, would you be supporting this “Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act” knowing how severe the controversy was? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Join us on Kpoppost’s Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, Telegram channel, WhatsApp Channel and Discord server for discussions. And follow Kpoppost’s Google News for more Korean entertainment news and updates.
