Fencer's ex-fiancé charged with child abuse after allegedly striking Olympian's nephew with golf club

Social Affairs

Published: 28 May. 2024, 12:56 Updated: 28 May. 2024, 17:17

Fencer's ex-fiancé charged with child abuse after allegedly striking Olympian's nephew with golf club

Jeon Cheong-jo walks out from the Seoul Songpa Police Station and heads to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul in November. [YONHAP]

Jeon Cheong-jo, the ex-fiancé of fencing Olympian Nam Hyun-hee and a convicted financial fraudster, is facing additional charges of assaulting Nam's nephew, the prosecution said Tuesday.

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said that it indicted Jeon on charges of physical violence, coercion, illegal trespassing and child abuse, in violation of the Child Welfare Act.

According to the prosecution and police, Jeon allegedly struck Nam’s middle schooler nephew on the buttocks more than 10 times with the grip end of a meter-long (3.2-feet-long) children's golf club last August.

Additionally, Jeon reportedly sent threatening messages to the nephew who had asked her for an allowance. The messages, sent in April last year, read: “I will make you lose all your friends” and “I will send my bodyguards to your school [to ruin your school life]."

Investigative authorities "confirmed the danger of the golf club" used in the assault, prompting the prosecution to add child abuse charges, an official from the prosecution said.

The law enforcement agency also requested "child care assistance such as psychological therapy" for the relevant support center to aid in the victim's recovery.

A screen capture shows Jeon being dragged and restrained by a police officer at Nam Hyun-hee's mother's residence last October. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The trespassing charge stems from her attempt to enter Nam’s mother’s house by repeatedly ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door last October after the fencer informed Jeon she was ending their relationship.

Following her arrest in October, police referred Nam to the prosecution on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of the Crime of Stalking and illegal housebreaking. However, the prosecutors dismissed the accusation related to the anti-stalking law, stating that her actions did not constitute violations as prescribed by such a law.

In February, Jeon was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of defrauding 3 billion won ($2.2 million) from 27 victims. After the lower court's ruling, the prosecution appealed to the court for a heavier punishment.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]