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Actor Kim Soo-hyun has been sued by the family of the late Kim Sae-ron on charges including violations of the Child Welfare Act. The photo shows Kim in tears during a press conference held in late March to address the matter. / Photo by Park Sung-il

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has been countersued by the family of the late Kim Sae-ron on charges including violations of the Child Welfare Act and false accusation, the family's legal representative announced on May 7.

Attorney Bu Ji-seok, speaking at a press conference held in Gangnam, Seoul, stated, “This morning, we filed a countersuit with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Kim Soo-hyun for violating the Child Welfare Act and for making false accusations.”

During the briefing, the family revealed an audio recording allegedly featuring Kim Sae-ron speaking with a friend. In the recording, a voice said, “I dated him (Kim Soo-hyun) from middle school, then we broke up after going to college.” The audio was voiced by an actor for clarity, according to the family.

Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, responded with a strongly worded statement, claiming the recording was fabricated using artificial intelligence.

“We believe the file in question was forged using AI or similar technologies,” the agency said. “This act by the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute constitutes a new form of criminal behavior using AI and an attempt to destroy Kim Soo-hyun’s character with fabricated evidence. We will immediately pursue defamation charges.”

The controversy stems from claims made earlier this year by Garosero Research Institute, a far-right YouTube channel, which alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron for six years beginning when she was 15 years old. In a press conference held in late March, Kim acknowledged having been in a relationship with her but firmly denied that it began when she was a minor.

At the time, he filed a defamation suit against both the bereaved family and the operators of the YouTube channel, accusing them of spreading false information.