by Reporter Goo Ah Mo, Ahn Junhyun
https://n.news.naver.com/article/023/0003862628?sid=102
It was confirmed on the 7th that NCT member Moon Taeil (30, stage name Taeil), who was accused of a sexual crime, has been under police investigation for aggravated rape charges. Moon was handed over to the prosecution on the 12th of last month after being investigated by the Bangbae Police Station in Seoul on aggravated rape charges.
According to the report, Moon was accused of sexually assaulting a drunk woman along with two of his acquaintances back in June. He was summoned for questioning once on August 28th, two months after the accusation. It is reported that none of the acquaintances who committed the crime together with him are well-known figures.
Aggravated rape charges apply when two or more people commit sexual assault on a person who is incapacitated, or when a weapon is involved. If found guilty, according to Article 4 Section 1 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, he can be sentenced to seven years or more, or even life imprisonment.
Moon's agency, SM Ent., released an official statement only after Moon's appearance at the police station, saying, "We confirmed that Taeil has been accused of a sexual crime. We recognize that the issue was very serious and we concluded that he could no longer continue his activities with the team. After discussing it with Taeil, we decided he would leave the group."
Fans voice their opinions, saying, "If the crime is serious enough for them to discuss about his withdrawal immediately, then the details of the case should be made public." However, SM Ent. still hasn't provided any further information on the matter.
Fans also criticized, "Considering there's a clear victim involved, we hope he would be severely sentenced," and "Is it really that hard to just not commit a crime?" Some fans have even started posting videos on social media, cutting up Taeil’s photo cards and merchandise.
Moon made his debut in April 2016 with NCT U, a sub-unit of the boy group NCT under SM Ent. He gained significant popularity, particularly in Japan and China, and later joined another sub-unit, NCT127.
Despite the accusation, Moon participated in the 8th-anniversary fan meeting of NCT127 at the Seoul Jamsil Indoor Stadium on August 3-4 and was also involved in the group’s recent full-length album release, showing signs of resuming activities.
Regarding Moon’s aggravated rape charges, an SM representative stated, “The matter is still under investigation, so we cannot comment further at this time.”
-Crazy bastard.
-Die, you f*cking bastard.
-This is crazy... The victim must be really shocked.
-He has become the most famous member of NCT now.
-Wow... That term is intense. What is aggravated rape?
-That is insane. No wonder why SM Ent. quickly cut ties with him.
-Whoa... Is he in his right mind?
-So three men raped an unconscious woman… I feel sick.
-From SM's fast reaction, you can tell it’s a serious crime. They didn’t try to cover it up.
-This is beyond shocking… crazy.
-People who have a lot to lose are usually careful, but what is with this guy?
-What about the victim…? This is truly disgusting.
-Three men raped an unconscious woman… SM Ent. cut ties with him quickly because there’s no way to defend him.
-What did SM try to cover up? They were the first to release a statement, and they mentioned the sexual assault from the start.
-I can’t believe 'NCT' and 'rape' can be used together in a sentence… this is unreal.
-Just die, please.
-Wow, it wasn’t even attempted rape.
