[Exclusive]Kim Se-se's arrest leads to resumption of trial after 10 days.. Kim Soo-hyun faces 100 billion won lawsuit over allegations involving Kim Sae-ron [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Legal disputes surrounding actor Kim Soo-hyun have entered a new phase. Kim Se-se, CEO of the research firm Garo-Sero Institute, was arrested and transferred for spreading false information about Kim Soo-hyun. Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit between Kim Soo-hyun and advertisers is set to resume next week. As Kim Soo-hyun faces a 100 billion won damages lawsuit from advertisers, attention is focused on whether he can find a path to restore his reputation in the first trial held since Kim (CEO)'s arrest.

According to StarNews' investigation, the 14th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court is scheduled to hold the third argument session on the 10th in a damages lawsuit filed by health food company Prombio against Kim Soo-hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, seeking 3960 million won.

The lawsuit had been suspended for about eight months to await the outcome of related cases following the second argument session held on October 22 last year.

The court notified both parties of the argument session on the 27th, the day after Kim (CEO) was arrested on the 26th of last month. With the police accelerating the investigation by transferring the case to the Prosecution Service just eight days after the arrest, it appears that the civil trial surrounding Kim Soo-hyun has also begun to move forward.

In particular, this trial is notable as the first civil trial held since Kim (CEO)'s arrest. Attention is focused on whether Kim Soo-hyun's side can find a way to restore his reputation.

Kim Soo-hyun is reported to have faced damages lawsuits totaling over 100 billion won from companies including Prombio, Classis, Kukoo Electronics, and Trend Maker. This stems from allegations that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor at the time, following Kim (CEO)'s revelations.

However, with Kim (CEO) having been arrested and transferred, and doubts raised about the credibility of various materials he presented, attention is also focused on the legal judgment regarding Kim Soo-hyun's liability for damages.

Meanwhile, Kim (CEO) was arrested and transferred on the 3rd on charges of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation by spreading false information), the Special Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, etc. (distribution of recordings made with cameras, etc.), attempted coercion, and threats.

According to the police, Kim (CEO) is suspected of spreading recordings and other materials claiming that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor, through YouTube broadcasts and other platforms from March to May last year, and that Kim Soo-hyun's side's debt repayment pressure was the direct cause of Kim Sae-ron's death. He is also suspected of fabricating false information by manipulating the late Kim Sae-ron's voice using generative artificial intelligence (AI), thereby damaging Kim Soo-hyun's reputation.

The police believe that the KakaoTalk conversation contents presented by Kim (CEO) at a press conference in March last year, claiming that Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship, were also fabricated.

Earlier, on the 26th of last month, Kim (CEO) appeared in court for a substantive review of the arrest warrant and denied all charges. At the time, he claimed, "(The warrant) is nonsense without even a basic summary of facts." However, the court issued an arrest warrant for Kim (CEO), citing concerns of evidence destruction and flight. Subsequently, on the 2nd, Kim (CEO) filed a request for a review of the appropriateness of the arrest with the court, but it was not accepted.

In response, Gold Medalist issued an official statement on the 5th, saying, "We deeply thank those who, despite not being direct parties to the case, have spoken out on behalf of Mr. Kim Soo-hyun for a long time while waiting for the procedures prescribed by law."

They added, "We also express our gratitude to those who have worked hard to investigate the truth of the case directly and to everyone who has helped make the reality of the case widely known."

They further stated, "In particular, we deeply thank the law enforcement authorities who have quietly fulfilled their responsibilities from behind the scenes, conducting investigations based solely on evidence and facts to uncover the truth, and the judicial institutional investors who have made fair and impartial judgments regarding the suspect's custody." They also said, "Most importantly, we sincerely thank all fans who have supported and stood by Mr. Kim Soo-hyun for a long time. The faith and support of our fans have been a great strength even during difficult times."

Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun plans to increase the amount of damages claimed against Kim (CEO) from the existing 120 billion won to 300 billion won.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.