The association said it has confirmed the suspect is a 60-year-old man identified only by the surname Kim, who was expelled in January 2015 and is not a current KPGA member.
JTBC's "Case Chief" reported in February that a man working as an instructor at a golf practice range in Busan repeatedly sexually assaulted a female student and, after she resisted, assaulted her indiscriminately at a restaurant. The program also aired CCTV footage showing the attack.
The Busan District Court sentenced the assailant to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
After the broadcast, speculation spread online while the suspect's identity remained unclear. Based on a phrase used in the report, a man identified only by the surname Shin, who had competed on the KPGA Tour, was wrongly named as the assailant.
JTBC later said comments identifying Shin as the attacker were "clearly false." Shin also strongly denied any connection. Even so, KPGA members in the Busan and South Gyeongsang region said they suffered tangible fallout, including students avoiding lessons.
As the damage from unverified claims grew, Shin Hee-taek, chair of the KPGA disciplinary committee, and regional members moved to determine the suspect's identity. The KPGA office said it made repeated calls with the victim and local members, conducted a full review of eight members in the Busan and South Gyeongsang region born in 1966, and sought legal advice. It ultimately identified Kim as the suspect and said he had been expelled for long-term nonpayment of dues.
"Members in the Busan and South Gyeongsang region and association staff communicated closely to identify the perpetrator," Shin said. "Kim is currently in no way connected to the association."
KPGA said it is checking indications that Kim continued giving golf lessons after his expulsion and is also reviewing whether he impersonated KPGA membership. Depending on the findings, the association said it is considering legal action over defamation and obstruction of business and will cooperate if investigative authorities request assistance.
Kim Jin-hyeong, a KPGA Tour director, said the core of the case was not misconduct by an active professional but a personal crime by someone who had been expelled. He said the association shares the victim's pain and the distress felt by Shin and other members in the Busan area.
He said KPGA maintains a zero-tolerance stance on sex crimes and will consider strong legal steps if needed, while working to build systems to prevent recurrence so the public can trust KPGA members.
The association said it also views impersonating KPGA membership, including by expelled individuals, as a serious matter that undermines order and will respond actively after confirming facts if similar cases arise.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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