Article: [Exclusive] Is this why SM kept quiet? NCT Taeil, Special Rape allegations [Comprehensive]
Source: Chosun Ilbo
It has been confirmed that Moon Tae-il (30) is under investigation for special rape.
On the 12th, NCT Taeil was handed over to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges of special rape following investigations by Bangbae Police Station in Seoul. According to reports, prosecutors have not yet summoned Taeil.
According to Dispatch's investigation, Taeil was indicted in June on charges of sexually assaulting a drunk woman with two acquaintances. He was summoned for questioning on August 28th two months after the indictment. None of the acquaintances he committed the crime with are famous.
According to Article 297 of the Criminal Act, 'Special rape' is committed when a weapon is used for the crime or if two or more people jointly commit rape. If convicted, he'll be sentenced to at least 7 years in prison under Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Special Act. The maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
After Taeil appeared at the police station, SM released an official statement stating "we have confirmed that Taeil is under investigation for a criminal case related to sexual crimes. Because of the severity of the case, we have decided that we can no longer continue team activities. After discussion with Taeil, we have decided on his withdrawal from the group." But did not reveal any details.
However, fans argued that "if the crime is serious enough to warrant an agency immediately discussion withdrawal, then the details should be made public" but SM did not reveal its position. Fans left criticisms writing, "Since it's a crime with clear victims, we hope he'll be severely punished. Is it that hard to tell someone not to commit a crime?"
Meanwhile, fans are also taking action such as covering up Taeil's pictures on public posters and filming themselves cutting up photo card merch with Taeil's picture with scissors and circulating them on SNS.
- [+942, -3] Hit him with capital punishment!!
- [+426, -6] Why is he not being thrown on a photo line?! But with Suga you caused all that fuss
- [+391, -116] Hmm a Korean man.. the rest is omitted
- [+245, -3] It's disgusting to see the different standards when its an idol that gang r*pes a woman that's passed out with two or three other people..
- [+124, -3] Idols who do image making in front of the public to make money off young women can commit misogynistic crimes including r*pe. This is quite the disgusting mentality for men in our country. We keep asking for them to be investigated and punished properly but there's not one single case with proper punishment of their crimes!! This is a country that fosters criminals.
- [+100, -0] He was indicted in June but even after committing crimes like that still went to fan meetings in August and smiled in front of his female fans?? No.. this is really scary.. this is why you never can really know people
- [+96, -1] Execute him! We need to show kids that r*pe will get your d*ck and b*lls chopped off!
- [+80, -0] How is SM managing things?? How are there so many sexual crimes in every boy group?!
- [+66, -0] Wow.. this is making me sick. Instead of hiring lawyers to block articles, SM should be cutting ties with criminals. Manage their character when they're trainees so that criminal kids don't come out!
- [+52, -0] If he has conscience left he should return all the money he earned exploiting his female fans ㅋㅋㅋ
- [+47, -0] It's because they grew up watching Burning Sun.. thug kids like him are going to keep coming out!
- [+47, -5] Disbandment is the only answer now.. just hearing the group's name makes me think of a crime.. how can SM bury this now? How rotten is the media? All these fancy internet newspapers and no one is biting these big fish?!!
- [+32, -0] Throw him on a photo line!
Additional source: Dispatch