It's 2 p.m. on the 27th in front of Han Fencing Academy in Gangnam, Seoul. It was the usual time for the academy to open, but the doors were firmly closed. No one was coming or going with only the signboard lit up.
Only passersby glanced at the sign. A few people chattered, "Is this the fencing school?" and some took pictures of the school. This is the Nam Hyun-hee Fencing Academy, run by former national fencer Nam Hyun-hee.
According to News1, the academy has been closed since the 26th of this month. It is believed that the academy was burdened by fraud allegations against Mr. Nam's remarried partner, Ms. Jeon Cheong-jo, and the coach's sexual assault of a minor.
Ms. Jeon was confirmed to be a frequent visitor. This is consistent with the fact that Mr. Jeon was referred to as the co-president of Mr. Nam's academy.
The owner of a shopping center near the academy said, "I saw Mr. Jeon two or three days before the article appeared. In fact, I saw her more often than Mr. Nam," he said, adding, "She even came with parents from the fencing school."
"Parents are worried about whether he's targeting rich people because they do a lot of fencing (after the story broke), or whether he's stealing their tuition because the school has been closed since yesterday," he added.
In particular, Mr. Jeon is believed to have brought bodyguards to the academy. Victims who claimed to have been scammed by Mr. Jeon revealed that he used his bodyguards to pretend to be a chaebol. According to a News1 interview, Mr. Nam, a man in his 20s who lost 88 million won to Mr. Jeon, even handed over the amount he had borrowed through Mr. Jeon's bodyguard in the name of investment. 카지노
Earlier, the fencing academy run by Mr. Nam had come under fire for alleged sexual assault by a coach even before Mr. Jeon's existence became known through the media. Coach B, in his 20s, was under police investigation for sexual assault and molestation of two underage students.
Jeon was also reportedly involved in discussions with parents at the academy about B's sexual assault allegations.
News1 attempted to contact Nam, Jeon, and the academy for comment on the various allegations, but was unable to reach them.
On the day of the incident, the interior of the academy beyond the window was empty. On the other hand, the window was lined with all of Nam's medals, certificates, and a letter of appointment to the Olympic broadcasting committee.