Song Yun-hyeok convicted of attempted rape

Indie film director Song Yun-hyeok was convicted of attempted rape of a colleague Thursday and given a suspended sentence of two years in jail. According to the Seoul Western District Court, Song was having drinks with a female colleague in ..

The Seoul Western District Court [NEWS1]

Indie film director Song Yun-hyeok was convicted of attempted rape of a colleague Thursday and given a suspended sentence of two years in jail.

According to the Seoul Western District Court, Song was having drinks with a female colleague in 2017 when he kissed her against her will and attempted to rape her.

In his defense, Song admitted to the sexual advance but claimed that he stopped trying to have sexual intercourse with the victim on his own, not because the victim refused.

"The defendant's argument that he stopped his crime voluntarily does not seem credible," the court ruled.

However, the court said Song "seems to have reflected on his actions, and he has a wife and young child," and those were reasons for showing leniency in his sentence.

Song is required to attend 80 hours of sexual violence classes and perform 120 hours of community service. He is now banned from holding any job in institutions related to children, teenagers or people with disabilities.

In 2018, Song and the victim came to a private agreement that she would not go public or press charges if he promised not to drink or work with women in the future. When he served as a judge and mentor for an indie film festival in 2019, the victim complained to the Association of Korean Independence Film & Videos. It expelled him and took him off the festival jury.

The victim made a criminal complaint and Song was indicted for attempted rape in 2019.

Song's films have dealt with troubled parts of Korean society, including people living in poverty. He made the documentary "The Slice Room" (2014) and was invited to the 12th Seoul Disabled People Right's Film Festival that year.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]