Nottingham Forest player heads back to UK amid sex video allegations

(Herald DB)

South Korean police said Monday that it has not extended the travel ban against Nottingham Forest striker star Hwang Ui-jo, who is currently being investigated on allegations of filming sexual intercourse without the consent of his partner.

It was reported that the 31-year-old star boarded a UK-bound plane at around 11 p.m. Monday, presumably to return to his team, currently competing in the 2023-24 season of the English Premier League.

In a press briefing, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Hwang's travel ban expired on Sunday. "(Officials) summoned Hwang for questioning last Thursday, and will decide whether to press charges based on the evidence and testimonies of those related," a SMPA official said.

Hwang is being accused of illegally recording sexual encounters with a woman, with the videos being released on social media last June by a person who later turned out to be his sister-in-law. He said that he made the videos with consent of the woman, but the police have been investigating him as a suspect after finding evidence against the soccer star's claims.

After news of the scandal broke, the Korea Football Association in November banned Hwang from the national team until the investigation surrounding him reached a clear conclusion.

South Korea's Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes stipulates in Article 14 that a person who takes a photograph or video of another person's body, which may "cause any sexual stimulus or shame against the will of the person who was shot," is to be punished by up to seven years in prison or 50 million won ($38,000) in fines.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)