Legendary pro golfer Pak Se-ri gets teary while discussing her father's forgery charges during a press conference held at Coex, Samseong-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, on Tuesday. Yonhap
The revelation that pro golf legend Pak Se-ri's father used her foundation's seal without her permission has shone a spotlight on celebrities and sports stars who suffer due to their families' financial failures or embezzlement.
This incident has sparked debate over Korea's lenient legal stance on economic crimes within families.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Pak said, "Resolving one debt issue only leads to another, like a never-ending line of debt problems. I can no longer take responsibility."
Her father had secretly made and used the seal of her foundation to establish an international golf school.
This is not an isolated case. Numerous celebrities and sports stars have faced similar financial conflicts with their families.
Comedian Park Soo-hong suffered due to alleged embezzlement by his brother and sister-in-law, who managed his finances.
TV personality Park Soo-hong has filed a lawsuit against his brother and sister-in-law, alleging they embezzled billions of won / Yonhap
Public perception and image control
Trot singer Jang Yoon-jung also faced similar issues. Actors like Kim Hye-soo and Han So-hee, too, have dealt with family debt scandals.
Experts point to "image management" as a key factor behind celebrities' and athletes' financial victimization by their families.
Given their professions, these individuals strive to avoid scandals but often find it difficult to resolve family conflicts legally, leading to prolonged issues.
Choi Sae-byeol, a sociology professor at Ewha Womans University, noted, "In a family-oriented society like Korea, resolving family disputes legally is frowned upon. The nature of their jobs, which emphasizes public perception, exacerbates these issues."
Busy schedules often lead celebrities to entrust their family members with asset and income management, only to discover massive financial discrepancies later.
Lawyer Noh Jong-eon, who represented Park Soo-hong, said, "Many top-tier celebrities are extremely busy, so they often delegate asset management to family members, eventually discovering financial issues and resulting in legal disputes."
Actor Han So-hee, who has fallen victim to multiple scams initiated by her estranged mother / Korea Times file
Structural and social factors
Korea's legal system also complicates matters. The Article 328 of the Korean Criminal Act exempts certain family members from prosecution for property crimes like theft, fraud and embezzlement or requires a formal complaint for prosecution.
A 2021 study by the National Assembly Research Service found that Korea has the world's most robust kinship exemption laws, rooted in its patriarchal and family-oriented culture.
However, as family dynamics evolve, calls for reform are growing due to the frequent abuse of these exemptions. In Park Soo-hong's case, his father claimed responsibility for the embezzlement to shield his eldest son, highlighting the potential misuse of kinship exemptions.
Legal experts advocate for stricter standards in family financial disputes.
Jeong Wan, a professor at Kyung Hee University Law School, said, "Unlike the past when the law was established, today's perceptions of family have significantly changed. Exempting crimes solely because of family ties is problematic."
Noh added, "Given the increasing severity of family-related crimes, there is a need for stricter penalties."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.