Kim Dong-sung (former short track national team member)’s ex-wife, who publicly disclosed through the media and a website that he had failed to pay child support, has been sent to the prosecution on defamation charges. In response, Kim’s current wife, Lim Min-jung, expressed her feelings on the matter.
On the 12th, Lim Min-jung took to her social media, referencing recent news reports about Kim’s ex-wife, identified as A, and began by saying, “I saw the article. It reminded me of the conversation we had last year when she cried and told him, ‘Don’t die.’”
“She had earnestly pleaded, saying that for the father to be able to send child support to the children, he needed to live, to work, and to stay strong,” Lim continued. “Yet, looking at this latest article, it makes it seem as though he intentionally avoided paying child support while living a lavish lifestyle, which is deeply regrettable.”
In reality, Kim Dong-sung was listed by name on “Bad Fathers,” a website that discloses the identities of parents who fail to pay child support. His ex-wife, A, had also told the media that she suffered severe financial difficulties because she did not receive the agreed-upon support payments. In response, Kim filed a defamation complaint against her, and the Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul recently forwarded the case to the prosecution on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.
However, police reportedly concluded that “A did not intentionally state false information, but the act of specifying facts was deemed to have damaged the other party’s reputation.”
Addressing this, Lim said, “Kim Dong-sung is by no means a willful evader. His bank accounts were seized, he was bankrupt, and he was making repayments under a personal rehabilitation plan, with nearly 2 million won deducted from his monthly income for debt repayment.” She added, “His determination to somehow earn money and fulfill his child support obligations has not changed. The promise to send all the payments, even after the children reach adulthood, still stands.”
She went on, “Despite nightmarish days working at construction sites, interrupted classes, income that wasn’t enough even for living expenses, and debts reaching as much as 600 million won, he never gave up. I’m afraid that after seeing this article, oppa (Kim Dong-sung) might give up on everything.”
Lim concluded, “I will work hard at any job and continue to grow into a better person. I will do my utmost until the day comes when we can send all the child support.”
Meanwhile, Kim divorced his ex-wife A in 2018, after which he partially paid child support for their two children. However, in 2022, disputes over unpaid support began to surface.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)