Claims spread online that Korean student named in Cornell gang rape lawsuit is grandson of late former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo

Claims are spreading online that a Korean student named as a defendant in a gang rape lawsuit at Cornell University is the grandson of the late former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo, who died last year.

Posts circulating Thursday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, identify the student by his full name and disclose his parents' names and professional positions, alleging that "one of the Cornell seven rapists is the grandson of former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo."

The posts include a photo of the accused student, identified in this article as Mr. A, as well as a news photograph showing him attending Lee's funeral in May as a family member. "They belong to one of the most privileged elite families in Korea. It is truly astounding," the post's author added.

According to Reuters and the Associated Press, the case emerged after a female Cornell student alleged she was sexually assaulted by seven students in October 2024 at the campus fraternity house of Chi Phi. She was 20 years old at the time.

The woman filed a lawsuit on Sept. 16, alleging she had been rendered completely incapacitated by alcohol and drugs provided by fraternity members before being gang raped.

The complaint includes screenshots of messages from a Snapchat group chat in which fraternity members allegedly recruited other students to participate, along with detailed accounts of what occurred.

The woman reported the incident to campus police about three weeks after it occurred, but prosecutors at the time did not pursue criminal charges.

The university said it conducted its own investigation and imposed disciplinary measures — including expulsion and suspension — on some students, but did not disclose the number of students disciplined or other specifics.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten issued a statement Monday saying that in her initial statement to investigators, the victim had not alleged gang rape or that she had been drugged, which he cited as background to why criminal charges were not filed at the time.

Prosecutors plan to reopen the case in light of the civil lawsuit and present evidence against the seven Cornell students to a grand jury. Unlike a trial jury, which determines guilt or innocence, a grand jury in the United States reviews the evidence presented by prosecutors to decide whether there is probable cause to issue a formal indictment.