Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: Petition to raise South Korea's statutory rape age to 19 surpasses 50,000 signatures

The petition was filed in response to the actor’s recent emergency press conference on March 31, where he addressed serious allegations made by the family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron, who took her own life in February.

The petitioner claimed that current South Korean law makes it difficult to prosecute certain sexual offences involving minors, stating that Soo Hyun’s case “could not be punished legally with the current laws.” The proposal aims to strengthen protections for minors by increasing the statutory rape age to 19.

The petition quickly gained traction, collecting more than 20,000 signatures on the first day alone. Under South Korean law, a petition must receive at least 50,000 signatures within 30 days to be reviewed by a subcommittee of the National Assembly. As of this week, the National Assembly confirmed that over 53,000 signatures had been recorded, clearing the threshold.

The petition will now be formally referred to the relevant legislative committee, marking the first step toward possible debate and future legislative reform.

Soo Hyun, 37, has been embroiled in a controversy after being accused of having dated Sae-ron while she was still a minor, with a 12-year age gap, and his agency is alleged to have attempted to extort money from her following her DUI incident. These claims intensified after Sae-ron’s death on February 16, also his birthday, triggering public backlash.

Soo Hyun has not been formally charged with any offence. In the March 31 press conference, Soo Hyun broke down and cried, denying any wrongdoing.

What is Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act?

According to Korean law, South Koreans attain adulthood at 19. Meanwhile, the age of consent is 16, meaning anyone engaging in sexual intercourse with an underage individual aged 13 and 16, or indulging in intimate acts with those under 13 is considered rape.