Actor Kim Soo Hyun has been cleared of allegations that he violated South Korea’s Child Welfare Act after police concluded there was no evidence to support claims that he dated the late actress Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor.
The Seongdong Police Station decided not to refer Kim Soo Hyun to prosecutors after completing its investigation into accusations of child welfare law violations and false accusations.
Investigators examined whether the actor had been involved in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron before she turned 18 or had committed any form of sexual abuse, AllKPop reported. Police ultimately found the allegations to be unfounded and closed the case due to insufficient evidence.
A police official said there was no legal evidence supporting claims of child abuse. The official also stated that an audio recording submitted as key evidence could not be accepted because it appeared to have been edited or manipulated.
The complaint was filed in May last year by Kim Sae Ron’s family and YouTuber Kim Se Ui. They alleged that Kim Soo Hyun had been in a relationship with the late actress when she was 14 years old and accused him of violating the Child Welfare Act.
During a press conference, Kim Se Ui and attorney Bu Ji Seok presented what they claimed was an audio recording of Kim Sae Ron discussing the alleged relationship.
[Exclusive] Kim Soo-hyun Cleared of Child Welfare Act Violation
July 29, 2026 | 2:00 PM
[Dispatch = Reporter Kim So-jung]
Actor #KimSoohyun has been cleared of allegations of violating the Child Welfare Act. Authorities concluded that claims by the family of the late Kim…— Graffitea (@graffychi) July 29, 2026
AI Audio Ruled Unreliable in Kim Soo Hyun Case
However, authorities determined that the recording was not reliable. According to reports, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Forensic Science Division found signs that the voice attributed to Kim Sae Ron had been artificially generated using AI.
Investigators also noted inconsistencies in the recording and said the identity of the person allegedly involved in the conversation could not be confirmed. Police said the lack of credible evidence played a major role in their decision not to pursue prosecution.
As a result, allegations that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron while she was underage and claims of child sexual exploitation were dismissed.
Throughout the controversy, Kim Soo Hyun acknowledged that he had dated Kim Sae Ron but consistently denied that the relationship began while she was a minor.
According to KoreaTimes, his agency also rejected the audio recording, calling it fabricated through artificial intelligence. Following the allegations, Kim Soo Hyun filed criminal complaints against Kim Sae Ron’s family and Kim Se Ui, accusing them of defamation and spreading false information.
Separately, Kim Se Ui was arrested and indicted on June 23 on charges related to allegedly spreading false information about the actor. He is currently being held at the Seoul Detention Center, and his first trial is scheduled to take place in August.