[Exclusive]Civil lawsuit also took five years... Park Soo-hong, 9.8 billion won lawsuit against older brother and sister-in-law to conclude in September

*This content was translated by AI.

Broadcaster Park Soo-hong's civil lawsuit seeking damages worth 9.8 billion won against his older brother and sister-in-law is set to reach a first-instance conclusion after five years.

The Seoul Western District Court’s Civil Division No. 12 (B) is scheduled to hold the judgment announcement session on September 11 for the lawsuit filed by Park Soo-hong against his older brother, Mr. Park, and his sister-in-law, Ms. Lee, seeking damages.

Park Soo-hong initially filed a lawsuit in June 2021 claiming 11.6 billion won in damages. Later, through court arguments, he submitted an application to amend the claims and grounds for the lawsuit, raising the claimed amount to 19.8 billion won by aggregating all settlement losses incurred over 20 years. The current value of the lawsuit has since been revised again and set at approximately 9.8 billion won.

The trial proceeded for a full five years and concluded with the 13th argument session held on the 10th.

Park Soo-hong's side explained, "Park Soo-hong's older brother managed assets within Park Soo-hong's corporation, and there was an implicit agreement that the legal relationship was not an entertainment contract but a special entrustment for asset management." They added, "The claim seeks to reflect settlement results corresponding to 20 years after the end of asset management at the time of asset management settlement."

They further argued, "In cases of damage compensation lawsuits, the statute of limitations is 10 years. However, under judicial precedents, if it is discovered that a partnership existed but settlements were not made, claims filed within five years from the termination of the partnership or collaboration relationship can settle asset management results spanning 20 years, and the 10th-year statute of limitations does not apply." They stated, "Periods exceeding 10 years were also included within the scope of judgment for settlement lawsuits, thereby expanding the compensation amount for unsettled funds."

Prior to this, criminal trials against the two individuals concluded with a guilty verdict finalized by the Supreme Court in February. The First Division (B) of the Supreme Court ruled on the appeal regarding charges of violating the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, stating, "The defendants' appeals are rejected." Consequently, the second-instance sentences were also finalized: Mr. Park received a three-year and six-month prison term, while Ms. Lee was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation period.

The embezzlement lawsuit surrounding Park Soo-hong's older brother and sister-in-law began on March 29, 2021, with a revealing comment that brought the issue to light after Park Soo-hong publicly stated his position. The controversy grew amid shocking allegations of "embezzling over 10 billion won in appearance fees," controversies over his father's abusive language, Ms. Lee's disparaging remarks on KakaoTalk, and accusations of media manipulation by the older brother's lawyer.

Thereafter, Park Soo-hong engaged in legal battles against his family for approximately four years until the Supreme Court's ruling.

Park Soo-hong appeared as a witness in both the first-instance and appeal court trials, voicing his grievances.

In the first instance, the Prosecution Service sought seven years and three years of imprisonment for them, respectively. The court found Mr. Park guilty of embezzling 2 billion won from company funds and sentenced him to two years in prison. However, it ruled not guilty on charges of misappropriating 1.6 billion won belonging to Park Soo-hong. Ms. Lee was acquitted as she was deemed unlikely to be considered an accomplice. Both the Prosecution Service and the defense appealed. In the second instance, additional charges were recognized, leading to a guilty verdict for sister-in-law Ms. Lee.

The Prosecution Service requested seven years of imprisonment for Mr. Park and three years for Ms. Lee, stating, "Mr. Park repeatedly embezzled large sums of money over an extended period yet falsely claimed it was used for Park Soo-hong, concealing the funds' usage and failing to restore damages." They added, "Despite the potential damage to entertainer Park Soo-hong's image, the defendants have evaded responsibility. While considering their status as first-time offenders, the duration, amount, and attitude of the crimes make severe punishment inevitable." Subsequently, in the second instance, Mr. Park was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and ordered to be detained due to concerns of flight risk, while Ms. Lee received a one-year prison sentence with a two-year probation period and 120 hours of community service.

Shortly after the Supreme Court's ruling, Park Soo-hong told StarNews over the phone, "Thank you for following and commenting on this matter with interest over several years," in response to the remark, "(Regardless of the lawsuit outcome) it has been a hard time." He continued, "I am also lacking, so it is truly heartbreaking to say anything about it," and cautiously added, "I apologize for not being able to speak at length regarding family matters."

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*This content was translated by AI.