SEOUL, South Korea – South Korean prosecutors have indicted a Japanese woman on charges of sexual assault for allegedly forcibly ‍kissing Jin, a member of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS, at a fan‍ event in Seoul last ⁤year, according ⁣to reports from local media on⁣ Monday.

The Seoul District Prosecutors‘ Office formally charged⁢ the woman,⁢ who is in her 50s, on Wednesday. The indictment stems ​from an incident that occurred during a “free hug”‍ event in June​ 2024, where Jin was greeting⁢ fans after ‌completing his mandatory military service. prosecutors allege the woman kissed Jin on the cheek without his consent.

The event,⁢ attended by approximately 1,000 fans, was followed by the circulation of a photograph online appearing to show Jin recoiling from the unwanted advance. This prompted an inquiry by South Korean police.

Following the incident, the woman reportedly returned to Japan. However, she voluntarily traveled ‌back to South Korea earlier this ‌year to⁣ cooperate with the police investigation and appear at a police station.

The case highlights the increasing attention being paid to issues of consent and personal space,even within the highly public​ world of ​K-pop fandom.