Joo Byung-jin: "I Went to Hannam Bridge Alone After Being Falsely Accused of Sexual Assault" ... Opens Up About Trauma From 26 Years Ago

[Financial News] Broadcaster Joo Byung-jin, 68, opened up about the past case in which he was detained over allegations of sexual assault before being acquitted, saying, "It continues to torment me until the day I die."
Joo Byung-jin appeared on tvN STORY's "Namgyeoseo Mwohage," which aired on the 5th, and looked back on the most difficult period of his life.
Recalling the time when he became a businessman and recorded annual sales of 160 billion won through his underwear business, he said, "Even now, what I regret is that my goal was to make money. But that was an incredibly foolish dream."
He continued, "I made money, but the emptiness I felt was indescribable. I had only a first goal and no dream beyond it. Once I achieved it, I should have set another goal for where I wanted to go, but I wandered."
He added, "I came to realize that the world could become frightening when I felt frustrated or as if dark clouds were gathering," referring to his detention 26 years ago on sexual assault charges.
Joo Byung-jin was previously detained in November 2000 on allegations that he assaulted and sexually assaulted a woman inside a car parked in the lot of a hotel in Itaewon, Seoul. After roughly two years of legal proceedings, he was acquitted.
Joo Byung-jin said, "It is a great sin to ruin someone else's life because of one's own selfish desires. It would be better if they took your life; if they ruin your life, you have to live in darkness for all those years. The pain is indescribable. A wound in your heart never completely disappears."
He also shared that, while going through a difficult period, he went alone to Hannam Bridge and found a man sitting precariously on the railing, whom he helped rescue.
Joo Byung-jin said he carefully approached the man so as not to startle him, held on to him, and then moved with him to a street food tent. After advising him not to give in to despair, he handed him over to the police. He added, "We rescued each other."
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter