SEONGNAM, South Korea, - The fiancé of two-time Olympic fencing medalist Nam Hyun-hee was temporarily taken into custody on stalking charges this Thursday. The detention followed Nam's apparent intent to terminate the relationship due to unfolding revelations that her fiancé, Jeon Cheong-jo, is legally a woman with multiple fraud convictions.
According to a new release by the Yonhap News Agency, Jeon was detained early in the morning outside the home of Nam's mother in Seongnam, south of Seoul. Jeon had reportedly been aggressively knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell at 1:09 a.m., requesting entry on the basis of being an acquaintance.
Nam's family subsequently reported Jeon to the authorities, leading to her detention on the scene. The police identified Jeon as a woman in her 20s and later released her, citing that she posed no risk of fleeing or destroying evidence. She is slated for further questioning.
The incident occurred after Nam, who had been residing at her mother's home, ceased communication with Jeon, indicating her wish to break up. In response, police have imposed an emergency restriction on Jeon, barring her from coming within a 100-meter radius of Nam and from calling or texting her. Nam will also receive a police-issued smartwatch to enable immediate contact with the police in case of an emergency.
The police stated that Jeon's actions were spurred by Nam's discovery of her criminal records and subsequent decision to end their relationship.
Nam, a silver medalist in foil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a bronze medalist in the women's team foil at the 2012 London Olympics, has operated a fencing academy in Seoul since 2020.