Credit: Yonhap News
Korean soccer player Hwang Ui Jo will miss the 2026 World Cup after an appeals court finalized his suspended sentence.
The Seoul Central District Court upheld Hwang’s original sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years, on September 4th. The ruling is now final since neither Hwang nor the prosecution filed an additional appeal.
Although Hwang eventually admitted to the criminal charges, he denied responsibility for the “secondary harm” described by the victim. His lawyers instead argued that the victim’s attorney was responsible for intensifying public scrutiny and preventing the victim from moving on by repeatedly speaking to the media.
Hwang’s legal team also noted that he had previously reached a settlement with another victim in a separate case. Regarding the victim in this case, they said Hwang deposited 20 million won and attempted to negotiate before the first trial, but the talks collapsed over a disagreement on the final settlement amount.
The victim pushed back hard in an email interview with KBS, calling Hwang’s lawyers “ignorant or shameless” and their arguments “deplorable.”
She rejected the claim that her own attorney was causing the harm, stating, “The lawyer’s statement is the victim’s statement. What on earth do they think a victim is?”
She continued, “They’re arguing that a victim who speaks out is only hurting themselves. To me, that sounds like telling a sexual assault victim, ‘If you don’t want to get hurt, then shut up.’ It’s horrific to hear.”
On the claim that settlement talks broke down over money, she was clear: “I have not felt a single moment of remorse from Hwang Ui Jo, so the settlement money could never be the real issue.”
The court acknowledged that Hwang’s status as a well-known athlete caused the victim severe psychological distress. Although she refused the financial deposit, the court still regarded it as a limited sign of remorse.
Hwang had pleaded for leniency, expressing hope of competing in the World Cup. However, under Korea Football Association (KFA) rules, any player with a finalized suspended sentence is barred from the national team for at least two years.
A KFA official also dismissed any possibility of his return, stating, “There is no reason to select a player who has committed a crime.”
Hwang Ui Jo Faces Removal From National Team as Prosecutors Seek 4 Year Sentence
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