[26.01.03] Petition on Deaths of Sisters Yang So-jeong and Yang So-ra Surpasses 20,000 Signatures

Petition on Deaths of Sisters Yang So-jeong and Yang So-ra Surpasses 20,000 Signatures

📍Calls grow for parliamentary hearing and special prosecutor over alleged cover-up of group sexual assault

A National Assembly petition calling for a full investigation into the deaths of sisters Yang So-jeong and Yang So-ra, who died following an alleged group sexual assault, has surpassed 20,000 signatures within a week, reigniting public demands for accountability.

A public petition demanding the truth behind the deaths of sisters Yang So-jeong and Yang So-ra, who took their own lives one after another following a group sexual assault 16 years ago, has garnered over 20,000 signatures.

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🔹 Petition Gains Momentum
According to the National Assembly petition platform on July 3, the petition titled “Request for a Parliamentary Hearing and Special Prosecutor on the Group Sexual Assault of a Supporting Actress” exceeded 20,000 signatures.

The petitioner stated that Yang So-jeong, a supporting actress, was sexually assaulted and harassed approximately 40 times by 12 industry insiders in 2004 but never received a proper investigation.

🔹 Alleged Assault and Secondary Victimization
The case began in 2004 when Yang So-jeong, then a graduate student working part-time as a supporting actress, reported repeated sexual assaults by assistant casting managers.

Despite reporting the crimes, she allegedly faced continued harassment during the investigation. Her family claims she was subjected to confrontational interrogations and degrading investigative demands.

🔹 Withdrawal of Complaint and Sisters’ Deaths
About 19 months after filing her complaint, Yang So-jeong withdrew it and later died by suicide in 2009.

Her younger sister, Yang So-ra, who had introduced her to the acting job, later died as well after suffering from severe guilt and psychological distress.

🔹 Civil Lawsuit and Statute of Limitations
The family filed a civil lawsuit against the 12 alleged perpetrators, but in 2015 the court ruled that although sexual assault was plausible, the statute of limitations had expired.

🔹 Renewed Calls for Accountability
The petitioner emphasized that the victims’ elderly mother continues to fight alone for an apology and truth, facing dozens of defamation lawsuits in the process.

The petition calls for a parliamentary hearing and a special prosecutor to uncover the truth behind the forced withdrawal of the complaint and systemic investigative failures.

One-line summary :  A National Assembly petition seeking truth over the deaths of sisters Yang So-jeong and Yang So-ra has surpassed 20,000 signatures, intensifying calls for a hearing and special prosecutor.