Source: Dispatch
Dispatch has obtained katalks between 'Dodomam' rape victim and lawyer Kang Yong Seok.
Dispatch obtained transcripts of their conversations and was able to obtain third party verification that the conversations were truly between the two.
# THE PLAN
D: But its not rape. That means I have to lie.
K: I don't care whether its rape or not. Rape can happen in the process of being forced.
D: It would be difficult for me or A to make a statement if we're alleging sexual harassment or rape because we'll have to lie.
K: Rape is best here. It's stronger than murder. We'll only get 100 million if we go for injury alone. They'll agree on it. It might be a bit of a struggle because we don't have proof but we have a strong case.
D: Well lets get the proof then. I can't make a false statement for more money without it.
K: If OO wants a fight we'll give him one. I'll take a 1/3 of what we get.
D: Who's drafting the agreement?
K: We have an office that specializes in that.
Kang Yong-seok sent a notice to OO. But Mr. OO's reaction was much more dull than they had hoped.
OO: "I saw the proof of contents you sent. Most of them are novels. I have no intention of coming to an agreement [settling]."
K: 500 million won isn't much for you. A rape case is stronger than murder. A murder case only gets 3 years but rape and assault get more than 5 years.
K: You'll need to urge the court for an acquittal.
OO: Do you have evidence?
Kang Yong Seok then reached out to the victim and urged they write up the complaint first.
# COACHING
K: I'm calling about the Suseo Police Station One Stop Center where you'll be questioned next week.
D: What's that?
K: It's a division where only female police officers gather to investigate victims of sexual violence.
K: We only have one shot or the whole thing gets blown.
D: I'm going to have to push the molestation to the end, right?
K: Of course.
K: To confront him, they have to confront you. If you fight a case like this like man would you'll be at a disadvantage.
D: It doesn't bother you at all?
K: It doesn't bother me. That's enough to make the settlement bigger. OO has to get into a lot of trouble.
K: (to a reporter): He's been sent to prosecution for questioning. This is not a simple assault. He hit her over the head at least five times with an expensive beer bottle.
D: I don't want to talk about it.
K: She was taken to the emergency room with excessive bleeding. The man is a head of a securities firm.
D: I'll reveal his job.
K: (to Dodomam) We need to talk more about the beer bottle. Public opinion will turn everything upside down once the beer bottle thing comes out.
# PRESSURE
# RESULTS
In April 2016, the case ended. In other words, they came to an agreement.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office suspended OO's case. OO was accused of "special injury and forced assault." The prosecutor said, "We have judged there was no forced assault by OO. However, the special injury charge has been thrown out because OO and Dodomam agreed to settle."
According to Dodomam, she came to an arrangement with Kang Yong Seok as the case progressed. She felt burdened by Kang Yong Seok's excessive amounts when filing the complaint and had contacted OO directly to correct the mistake.
According to Dispatch, the conversations reveal the two conspiring to extort money from a senior executive at a securities firm by fabricating events involving an assault at a karaoke bar.
The two began the conspiracy in November 2015 and below is a transcript of that conversation:
K: Look forward to it.
D: Yes
K: We'll get money from 'OO' in time for the holidays.
D: ㅋㅋㅋ I hope we get a lot of settlement money.
K: We'll be oozing in money. I can't wait until we start receiving the letters.
*inserts text message notifying 'OO'*.
What do you think? I bet he'll freak out when he receives it.
D: ㅋㅋㅋ it's great.
Both Kang Yong Seok and the victim were excited as they dreamt of a huge settlement.
The alleged abuser OO was a senior executive at a securities firm. Kang Yong Seok attempted to turn a "nothing charge" into a "guilty" one by blowing up the case with fabricated events.
# PERSONS OF INTEREST
Kang Yong Seok (lawyer): The 18th National Assemblyman. In 2010, he stirred controversy by saying, "If you want to be an announcer, you have to be prepared to give everything" earning an expulsion from the GNP. In 2012, he ran for the 19th National Assembly election but lost.
Kang Yong-seok later took the path of a broadcaster. He starred in "Ssuljeon," "The Powerful Enemies," "The Tough 19" and "The Yujaesik Sang-ja." He was later ousted due to the Dodomam incident and went back to his main job as a lawyer and became the "King of Goeso." He's currently a YouTube star.
Kim Mi Na "Dodomam" (alleged victim): Power blogger. A regular guest at a luxury brand launching party. Her relationship with Kang Yong Seok is lawyer-client. They met in Hong Kong and Japan as well as in Korea.
Mr. OO (alleged abuser): A Securities Company Executive. In 2015, he was accused of harassing and sexually assaulting Dodomam. According to Dodomam, "Mr. OO had forced (unwanted) physical contact on her while at a bar." OO has denied the assault.
# THE CASE
In March 2015, Dodomam, her friend A and OO met at a karaoke bar in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. The relationship between Dodomam and OO was "acquaintances".
The two had an argument about a third party while drinking and OO allegedly hit Dodomam over the head with a liquor bottle. Dodomam was rushed to the Soonchunghyang Hospital emergency room and got stitches. She was able to provide a doctors note she received for a two-week leave for the recovery. So far Dodomam is a victim of an assault.
In November 2015, Kang Yong Seok took the case and the assault took a different direction. Keywords such as "violence", "sexual assault", and "forced assault" were added. The attorney, Kang Yong Seok, became a coach to the alleged victim.
# THE PLAN
K: Once I'm in the office we'll start on the Mr OO case. I'll send you proof of contents.
D: What's the plan?
K: We'll go with rape. That way you'll receive 300-500 million won
D: But its not rape? That means I have to make a false statement. All he did was hit me with a beer bottle.
K: Have some courage. The plan is to raise the "agreement" to 300-500 million.
[At this point, the victim seems uncomfortable with the situation but Kang Yong Seok insists].
D: What's the plan?
K: We'll go with rape. That way you'll receive 300-500 million won
D: But its not rape? That means I have to make a false statement. All he did was hit me with a beer bottle.
K: Have some courage. The plan is to raise the "agreement" to 300-500 million.
[At this point, the victim seems uncomfortable with the situation but Kang Yong Seok insists].
D: But its not rape. That means I have to lie.
K: I don't care whether its rape or not. Rape can happen in the process of being forced.
D: It would be difficult for me or A to make a statement if we're alleging sexual harassment or rape because we'll have to lie.
# PURPOSE
So why did Kang Yong Seok pull out the "forced assault" card? His main purpose was money.
D: Well lets get the proof then. I can't make a false statement for more money without it.
K: If OO wants a fight we'll give him one. I'll take a 1/3 of what we get.
D: Who's drafting the agreement?
K: We have an office that specializes in that.
Kang Yong Seok then wrote up a provocative complaint.
(Dispatch will report on the negotiations and technology used in the second round of the Kang Yong Seok series: "The Revenue Model")
# REACTION
(Dispatch will report on the negotiations and technology used in the second round of the Kang Yong Seok series: "The Revenue Model")
# REACTION
Kang Yong-seok sent a notice to OO. But Mr. OO's reaction was much more dull than they had hoped.
K: 500 million won isn't much for you. A rape case is stronger than murder. A murder case only gets 3 years but rape and assault get more than 5 years.
K: You'll need to urge the court for an acquittal.
OO: Do you have evidence?
Kang Yong Seok then reached out to the victim and urged they write up the complaint first.
K: [to Dodomam] We'd better issue the complaint first and negotiate after that. I'm writing up the complaint right now. Let's sue OO first.
# FABRICATION
K: Read it and tell me if you have anything to fix. This is clearly a rape charge.
K: Read it and tell me if you have anything to fix. This is clearly a rape charge.
D: But he didn't molest me?
K: He must've forced you to touch him.
D: Not at all.
K: Forced abuse is actually molestation even if he touched you a little bit.
D: We'll come to an agreement anyway. He did say, "Can I hold your hand?"
K: That's enough
Kang Yong Seok knew that Mr. OO's charges were limited to "violence". The victim knew this as well and even confessed that she never touched OO at all. But it didn't matter nor did Kang Yong Seok care. All he wanted was money so the truth wasn't important. That much as known.
K: He must've forced you to touch him.
D: Not at all.
K: Forced abuse is actually molestation even if he touched you a little bit.
D: We'll come to an agreement anyway. He did say, "Can I hold your hand?"
K: That's enough
Kang Yong Seok knew that Mr. OO's charges were limited to "violence". The victim knew this as well and even confessed that she never touched OO at all. But it didn't matter nor did Kang Yong Seok care. All he wanted was money so the truth wasn't important. That much as known.
# COACHING
In December 2015, a police investigation was launched and Kang Yong Seok became a coach. His first advice was regarding the 'one stop center.'
D: What's that?
K: It's a division where only female police officers gather to investigate victims of sexual violence.
K: We only have one shot or the whole thing gets blown.
What does the "one-stop center" mean to Kang? "One-stop center" is a place to protect human rights and recover damages for women and children victims of sexual violence. But to him, it was just a "means" to get the settlement money.
# ENCOURAGEMENT
Kang Yong-seok also gave advice to the victim ahead of the investigation.
K: Of course.
K: To confront him, they have to confront you. If you fight a case like this like man would you'll be at a disadvantage.
D: It doesn't bother you at all?
K: It doesn't bother me. That's enough to make the settlement bigger. OO has to get into a lot of trouble.
# PRESS
On January 26, 2016, an article titled, "Dodoman assault incident" came out. According to police, Kim had an argument with a man and is claiming unwanted physical assault several times.
On January 26, 2016, an article titled, "Dodoman assault incident" came out. According to police, Kim had an argument with a man and is claiming unwanted physical assault several times.
At this time, Kang Yong Seok and Dodomam began mobilizing the media. Below are some of their statements to reporters.
D: I don't want to talk about it.
K: She was taken to the emergency room with excessive bleeding. The man is a head of a securities firm.
D: I'll reveal his job.
K: (to Dodomam) We need to talk more about the beer bottle. Public opinion will turn everything upside down once the beer bottle thing comes out.
# PRESSURE
Kang Yong Seok knew the importance of public opinion more than anyone else. He used his past case as an example.
K: "Think about my case. How can you insult an announcer without using curse words. The general evaluation of the press after the judge will follow."
He then asked her to "slip" personal information about OO to a media reporter.
K: Tell one reporter that B is a head of a securities firm
D: I told the X News director
So how did the Kang Yong Seok and Dodoman conspiracy unwind?
Indeed, the X newspaper wrote an article that said, "X never intends to settle the alleged assault."; three months later, the newspaper added that "since he apologized sincerely she decided to settle it quietly".
# RESULTS
In April 2016, the case ended. In other words, they came to an agreement.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office suspended OO's case. OO was accused of "special injury and forced assault." The prosecutor said, "We have judged there was no forced assault by OO. However, the special injury charge has been thrown out because OO and Dodomam agreed to settle."
According to Dodomam, she came to an arrangement with Kang Yong Seok as the case progressed. She felt burdened by Kang Yong Seok's excessive amounts when filing the complaint and had contacted OO directly to correct the mistake.
Dodomam spoke to Dispatch and said, "It's definitely my fault for agreeing to follow his instructions. That's why I met with OO in person and apologized for the excessive amount and dropped the charges without a settlement."