Musical actor Nam Kyung-joo, who is at the center of controversy over allegations of sexual assault, has been confirmed to have been suspended from his position at Hongik University, where he was employed, and public opinion is worsening as even his past record has been exhumed.
On the 12th, the Hongik University public relations office said regarding Nam Kyung-joo, "He has been removed from his position as an associate professor in the department of performing arts." It explained, "It is difficult to confirm the specific date, but the removal from his position has already been carried out, and I understand that a disciplinary committee was held after the incident." It withheld comment on whether additional personnel measures such as dismissal will follow, saying, "I do not know at this time."
Earlier, Nam Kyung-joo had been serving as an associate professor in the department of performing arts at Hongik University and had been teaching. However, it is known that he was on leave this year and did not take classes. The school is said to have taken personnel measures after it became known that Nam Kyung-joo had been sent to the prosecution on charges of sexual assault.
According to the police, the Seoul Bangbae Police Station investigated Nam Kyung-joo on charges of coercive rape and last month forwarded the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office without detention. The victim, identified as A, reported to the police that she was raped by Nam Kyung-joo in Seoul last year, and during the investigation Nam Kyung-joo is said to have strongly denied the charges.
However, the police reviewed the victim's statements and related physical evidence comprehensively before referring the case to the prosecution. Through a media outlet, Nam Kyung-joo admitted, "It is true that a reinvestigation is under way," but he has not issued a separate stance on the specific charges. His personal social media accounts are currently set to private.
At the same time, as attention has returned to Nam Kyung-joo's past record, public sentiment has worsened further. Past incidents of drunk driving and driving without a license are being re-examined online. In 2002, Nam Kyung-joo was caught in a drunk driving crackdown and had his license revoked for exceeding penalty points, and the following year, in 2003, he was again caught driving without a license. He was later booked without detention in 2004 on suspicion of driving a vehicle registered to his mother while unlicensed.
In addition, his past remark that he was taken to the Samcheong training camp during high school has resurfaced. In 2009, Nam Kyung-joo appeared on Park Joong-hoon show and on Korea's Sunday Night, and said, "The school had to send two students who were difficult to guide, and when I tried to stop older students from hitting younger students I ended up at the police station and was ultimately taken to the Samcheong training camp." He recalled at the time, "I was there for quite a long time and it was harsh, like being punished in the military," and added, "There were many unreasonable things in that era, and I think I just met the wrong timing and that's how it happened." He added, "Ultimately there were parts that worked positively for me, but I'm not sure it was a place I necessarily had to go."
The following year, in 2010, his older brother and musical actor Nam Kyung-eup also mentioned school anecdotes at the production press conference for the play Rain Man, saying, "My younger brother was a handful. He even went to the Samcheong training camp when he was a senior in high school," and those remarks are being exhumed. With an investigation into the sexual assault allegations currently under way, as past actions are repeatedly recalled, public sentiment toward Nam Kyung-joo is gradually turning cold.
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