Former announcer and broadcaster Yoo Young-jae (61) denied allegations of sexually assaulting A, the older sister of his ex-wife, actress Sunwoo Eun-sook (65). The prosecution has sought a 5-year prison sentence for Yoo Young-jae.
On the 24th, the 4th trial regarding Yoo Young-jae's violation of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (forced sexual assault due to familial relations) was held at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court.
According to Star News, during the defendant's examination, Yoo Young-jae stated, "I have lived alone for a long time," and "I was free to dress as I wanted at home." He also mentioned, "Sunwoo Eun-sook said she couldn't cook, do laundry, or manage a household, so she wanted to live with A, but I was actually opposed to it," explaining that he had allowed A to live with them out of consideration.
Yoo Young-jae further claimed, "I take pride in the fact that my relationship with A was different from that with other family members. Therefore, there was a different level of intimacy between us. We made efforts for each other. We checked in on each other more frequently than with other family members, asking things like 'Did you sleep well?' and 'Are you healthy?' There was a level of intimacy that I had never received from my mother."
A testified at the second trial held on the 10th, stating, "I lived with Yoo Young-jae from October 4, 2022, and I was sexually assaulted multiple times thereafter," mentioning shocking incidents such as, "He suddenly hugged me from behind and whispered in my ear, 'Did you sleep well?'" and "His genitals touched my buttocks."
Regarding the allegations, Yoo Young-jae denied, "I have never twisted anyone's nipple. It is completely out of the question for someone who always takes care of me to do such a thing. It is impossible."
The prosecution stated, "This case is a forced sexual assault incident due to familial relations, and the act itself is of poor quality. The defendant denies the charges, but based on the consistent statements of the victim and the recorded evidence, the evidence is credible," and sought a 5-year prison sentence for Yoo Young-jae. They added, "The defendant has shown no signs of remorse from the police and prosecution investigations to the courtroom. The victim is requesting severe punishment."
Yoo Young-jae is accused of forcibly touching the body of A, Sunwoo Eun-sook's older sister, five times between March and October 2023. Sunwoo Eun-sook testified as a witness at the third trial held on the 17th, stating, "I submitted divorce papers with Yoo Young-jae, but then we talked about trying to live together again, and I considered withdrawing it. At that time, my sister played a recording for me. There were things said like, 'Eun-sook must not know.' I was so shocked that I even fainted."
Meanwhile, Sunwoo Eun-sook filed for annulment of her marriage to Yoo Young-jae, but it was dismissed. On the 19th, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon Family Court ruled that there was no reason to proceed with the lawsuit as the two had already divorced, leading to the dismissal.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
