EXO's Suho, whose real name is Kim Jun Myeon, has recently been involved in controversy over an alleged connection of his father, Kim Yong Ha, to the New Right Union (anti-Korean government community) and Chinilpa (a group of Koreans who collaborated with Imperial Japan during the country's reign over South Korea).
Mr. Kim, who is a professor at the Soonchunhywang University, requested the Cyber Crimes Unit to conduct an investigation on the netizens who were allegedly defaming his son, Suho. He is working with a lawyer and is planning to seek the help of the Seoul Central District Court on November 17 to issue a complaint, Allkpop reports.
Kim Yong Ha is known for his aggressive participation in a discussion about pension reform of a public official. He is also known for criticizing the government for the public workers' payment system.
According to a report, a photo of the idol's father at one of the New Right Union community meeting spread online. Since then speculations about his involvement with the community started. Reports claim the professor was one of the speakers during the event.
Professor Kim claimed that since November 10, some internet sites posted rumors that allegedly linked him to the New Right movement and Chinilpa. The next day, Mr. Kim was called a Chinilpa by some netizens while some called Suho as "the son of a Chinilpa." The malicious rumors started spreading online on November 12.
Suho's father denied the accusations.
"Even though I explained that the Citizens United for Better Society, which is a civic group that claims to advocate moderate conservatives, is not New Right, the netizens ruled me a Chinilpa, rallied up this outrageous reasoning because I participated in this civic group's activities, and steered me toward being a Chinilpa," said Kim Yong Ha.
"I am not a Chinilpa, nor did I do anything that could receive attention for being pro-Japanese. My hometown is Munsu-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk; my family farmed for generations and had nothing to do with being pro-Japanese even during the Japanese imperialism."
Professor Kim also said that when his son, who is now in Japan for the continuation of EXO's Asia concert tour, heard about the rumors, he called and asked, "Dad, are you really a Chinilpa?" He had answered that the rumors were false and completely baseless.
Meanwhile, Suho is not the idol who is currently involved with controversy concerning their father. Kim Jung Joo, the father of iKON's B.I, was recently arrested and charged with embezzlement.
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