SEOUL – Former South Korean short track speedskating champion Kim Dong-sung pleaded leniency in his ongoing trial over not paying his share of the child-rearing expenses, claiming that his failure to pay was due to not being able to work. The 46-year-old was sentenced to 18 months in jail in December for not paying child support to his ex-wife for three years and 10 months. Kim has claimed that he has been facing financial difficulties, and he has been working as a non-guaranteed construction worker.
“I didn’t hold out on the payment on purpose. I was late on payment because I wasn’t able to work,” Kim told the appellate division of the Suwon District Court. “Even if it takes time, I will keep working as a temporary worker and make the due payments.” His lawyer said his client is trying to make the payments from his wages before the court makes its ruling on Aug. 11. Kim owed 90 million won (S$74,900) in child support to his ex-wife, who is
raising two children born during their marriage. The court did not detain him after the ruling, saying the priority is for him to pay the child-rearing expenses. Since then, Kim has paid 13 million won. Once considered one of the greatest skaters in the country’s history, the gold medalist of the 1998 Winter Olympics has been embroiled in a series of controversies since his retirement. Kim was accused of corporal punishment against young skaters during his coaching job in the US in 2010, and was
suspended from coaching for six years by US Speedskating. He was alleged to have been in an extra-marital relationship with other women during his first marriage, which has not been confirmed. Some have said that Kim is not actually having financial difficulties. A person claiming to be a close friend of Kim – who provided text messages exchanged between them as evidence – claimed that the former skating star has substantial assets and income hidden from authorities. Kim denied the accusation, saying he did not
have a high income and that he has no hidden assets. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Kim Dong-sung, South Korea, Olympic speedskating, child support, appellate trial, Suwon District Court, temporary worker, 1998 Winter Olympics