Former AOA member Kwon Mina has shared a deeply personal and reflective update regarding the conclusion of her long legal battle over a past sexual assault.
On May 19, 2026, the singer and actress took to her social media accounts to announce the final outcome of the appeals court’s second-trial verdict.
While the legal proceedings concluded without a prison sentence for the perpetrator due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, Mina emphasized that the partial recognition of the charges by the justice system has provided her with a profound sense of validation and long-awaited closure.
The case involves a traumatic incident that occurred 18 years ago when Mina was a 14-year-old middle school student in Busan.
She first disclosed the details publicly in 2021, revealing that she had been sexually assaulted by an older student but had felt unable to report the crime at the time due to fear and the prevailing social climate.
Prompted by her public disclosure, a rigorous four-year legal investigation and trial ensued, culminating in the recent appellate court ruling that examined the specifics of the decades-old event.
The Legal Framework and the Impact of the Statute of Limitations
The primary focus of the second trial centered on whether the defendant could be legally punished given the significant passage of time.
Under South Korean criminal law, standard rape charges carry a strict statute of limitations that has already lapsed for an incident dating back to 2008.
However, the prosecution had sought a 10-year prison sentence by pushing for the more severe charge of rape resulting in bodily injury (gangan-chisan), which carries a significantly extended statute of limitations that would have left the perpetrator open to severe penalization under current laws.
In its final verdict, the appeals court officially acknowledged and recognized the core rape allegation against the defendant.
However, the judiciary did not accept the accompanying charge of rape resulting in bodily injury.
Because the specific injury component could not be legally proven to the court’s satisfaction, the legal window for punishment under the standard rape charge remained expired.
Consequently, despite the court validating that the assault took place, the defense was granted a dismissal of punishment based entirely on the statute of limitations, rendering further legal penalties impossible.
Finding Personal Meaning, Gratitude, and Encouragement for Victims
Despite the lack of a formal prison sentence for the perpetrator, Kwon Mina expressed immense relief that the truth of her experience was formally documented by the legal system.
Reflecting on the heavy emotional toll of the four-year process, she shared,
“When the prosecution sought a 10-year prison sentence, I became excited once again because it really felt as though the perpetrator would receive a prison term.
But the fact that even one charge was recognized carries enormous meaning.
The fact that the person was a bad person was revealed, so I think I can be satisfied with the current result.”
Mina used her platform to express deep gratitude toward the law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and unexpected witnesses who supported her throughout the difficult trial.
She noted the stark contrast between the societal norms of the late 2000s and the present day, encouraging other survivors of sexual violence to break their silence without shame.
“At the time, because of the social atmosphere, I had no choice but to stay quiet and hide it,” she noted.
“I want to tell many victims not to blame themselves or hide, because it is not something shameful, and to courageously raise their voices.”
Looking ahead, Mina revealed that while she feels temporarily exhausted and likened the conclusion of the case to “finishing one homework assignment,” she is shifting her focus toward personal health, rest, and skin treatments.
She acknowledged that she is also preparing for another separate, unrelated legal battle that will require her active participation.
However, she expressed hope that the hard-fought validation from this trial would make her a more mature and resilient individual as she moves forward into her next chapter.
