It's unjust to be stigmatized... Park Soo-hong's sister-in-law issues belated apology: "I was rash and ashamed" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Ms. Lee, the sister-in-law of broadcaster Park Soo-hong, has expressed her intention to apologize late for spreading false information about the Park Soo-hong couple and being charged with defamation.

The Seoul Western District Court Criminal Appeal Division 1 held a sentencing hearing on the 25th for Ms. Lee on charges of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation).

On that day, the Prosecution Service requested the court to reject the defendant's appeal and impose a prison sentence of 10 months, the same as the original sentencing recommendation.

Ms. Lee was indicted for sending messages containing false information, such as claiming that Park Soo-hong cohabited with a woman during his broadcasting activities, in a KakaoTalk group chat with the intent to slander the Park Soo-hong couple.

Ms. Lee's lawyer denied the charges on that day, arguing for acquittal. The lawyer stated, "It is difficult to say that the prosecutor's allegations have been proven beyond reasonable doubt," and added, "The defendant had a substantial reason to believe that the victim was living with a woman after witnessing a woman's belongings at the victim's home on multiple occasions."

The lawyer continued, "The defendant sought to explain their own and their family's unjust situation and correct the facts after the victim publicized family property issues through the media," and said, "The main motive was not slander but explanation. The response was strongly defensive in nature."

Later, through her final statement, Ms. Lee said, "Although this was an extremely personal conversation with acquaintances, I apologize for hurting Park Soo-hong and Kim Da-ye with this conversation. I am ashamed that my words and actions were not wise and were rash. I have realized how foolish and shameful my actions were. I deeply reflect and will ensure such an incident never happens again. I will become a mother who is not a source of shame to my children."

The sentencing date for the appeal trial regarding Ms. Lee is scheduled for July 23.

Previously, during the first-instance sentencing hearing, Ms. Lee began her final argument by saying, "I wrote this because I was trembling," and added, "As an ordinary housewife, I got married and lived with my children and in-laws for 20 years. However, due to a single comment, I was stigmatized as someone who embezzled 11.6 billion won, and criticism toward my children continued. As a result, my daughter suffered a mental shock and is undergoing psychiatric treatment and psychological counseling." She then shed tears. She continued, "Nevertheless, the case against us is still ongoing. It is very difficult, but we are trying to endure and overcome it," and repeatedly requested leniency.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 9, which served as the first-instance court, sentenced Ms. Lee to a fine of 12 million won at the sentencing hearing, finding that charges of defamation and slander were established.

At that time, the court stated in its ruling that Ms. Lee slandered Park Soo-hong via a group chat by claiming he was cohabiting with a woman. The court noted, "There is no fact that Ms. Lee directly witnessed a woman presumed to be Park Soo-hong's cohabitant when he appeared on 'My Little Old Boy,' and the place of observation appears to have been a parking lot, not inside the house. The claim that there were women's items in Park Soo-hong's house is also, even if true, a fact that could easily exist between parties in a romantic relationship."

The court further stated, "Even though Ms. Lee had no direct knowledge, she frequently spoke as if she often witnessed 'Is there always a woman?' in the group chat and had others convey this. Even if Ms. Lee asked about the truth, the act itself cannot be considered to have a legitimate reason." The court added, "Currently, with the public's attention drawn to the legal dispute between Park Soo-hong's older brother and Ms. Lee, it appears that Ms. Lee had a strong intent to slander Park Soo-hong by creating public opinion favorable to herself in this situation. She transmitted the content slandering Park Soo-hong directly to the chat room and executed it by writing internet article comments to spread it more widely. Given Park Soo-hong's profession, the degree of defamation is significant, and false information can spread through the internet, causing great harm. Yet, Ms. Lee only presents the situation of herself and her family, makes excuses that are hard to accept, and does not make efforts to help the victim obtain forgiveness."

According to the Prosecution Service, Ms. Lee is suspected of spreading false information in a KakaoTalk group chat with the intent to slander Park Soo-hong. Investigation results revealed that in the group chat, statements such as "Park Soo-hong's words are lies" and "Park Soo-hong is cohabiting with a certain woman" were exchanged, and it was also revealed that Ms. Lee, who was in the group chat, posted these on online communities.

During the subsequent sentencing hearing, the Prosecution Service stated regarding Ms. Lee, "She made false statements about a celebrity in a group chat, damaging their reputation. The crime is not minor, and she denies the charges and shows no remorse. She has not taken measures to restore the victim's damages, and the victim also desires a severe punishment," and requested a 10-month prison sentence.

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*This content was translated by AI.