South Korean short track medalist accuses her coach of sexual abuse

SEOUL, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Shim Suk-hee, a South Korean Olympic gold medalist, has accused her former short track instructor of sexual harassment, four months after he was convicted of assault.

Shim filed a complaint to police last month that accuses Cho Jae-beom of sexually assaulting her multiple times since 2014, according to the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency.

In September, Cho was sentenced to 10 months in jail for assaulting Shim and other short track speed skating athletes since 2011 but has appealed the sentence.

Shim said Cho had assaulted her since she was 8 and said that the abuse continued until right before the 2018 Winter Games.

Shim felt she "would die when she was being beaten severely" by Cho before the Winter Games last year, in court testimony, according to Yonhap News.

She said in the new complaint to the police that she was sexually assaulted multiple times at national training centers.

Shim emerged as a star in short track speed skating after winning three medals at the 2014 Winter Games.

As the prominent athlete raises sexual misconduct allegations, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday that it will strengthen punishment for sexual misconduct by members of the sports community and investigate with a state human rights council to learn untold cases of sexual abuse in the sports community.

"The records of sexual misconduct will be shared with International Olympic bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, to prevent coaches confirmed with sexual assaults find job opportunities abroad," said Roh Tae-kang, vice-minister of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, at a briefing.

Cho drew criticisms when he tried to join the Chinese short track speed skating national team after the Korea Skating Union removed him from his position and expelled as the police investigation confirmed his assaults against athletes.