Late apology... 'KakaoTalk slander' Park Soo-hong's sister-in-law to face appeal court sentencing today (23rd)

*This content was translated by AI.

The appeal court will deliver a verdict in the case of Ms. Lee, Park Soo-hong's sister-in-law, who was brought to trial for spreading false information about the broadcasting couple Park Soo-hong and his wife, damaging their reputation.

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

Previously, the court held a closing argument session on June 25. The Prosecution Service requested that the court reject the defendant's appeal and impose a prison sentence of 10 months, consistent with the original trial's sentencing recommendation.

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

Ms. Lee's lawyer denied the allegations today and argued for acquittal. The lawyer stated, "It is difficult to conclude that the prosecutor's charges have been proven beyond reasonable doubt." He added, "The defendant witnessed women's belongings at the victim's residence on multiple occasions and had substantial reason to believe the victim was living with a woman based on those observations."

He continued, "The defendant sought to clarify her own and her family's unjust situation and correct factual misunderstandings after the victim publicized family property issues through the media. The primary motive was not slander but clarification, reflecting a strong defensive response."

Later, in 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 through these messages. I feel ashamed of my unwise and rash words and actions. I have realized how foolish and shameful my behavior was. I deeply reflect on this and vow to ensure such incidents never happen again. I will strive to be a mother whom my children do not need to be ashamed of."

Previously, during the first-instance closing argument, Ms. Lee began her final remarks by saying, "I wrote this down because I was trembling." She added, "As an ordinary housewife, I have been married for 20 years and lived with my children and in-laws. However, due to a single comment, I was labeled as someone who embezzled 11.6 billion won, and criticism directed at my children continued. As a result, my daughter suffered psychological trauma and is undergoing psychiatric treatment and psychological counseling." She then shed tears, saying, "Nevertheless, the case against us continues. It has been very difficult, but we are trying to endure and overcome it," repeatedly requesting leniency.

Meanwhile, in the first instance, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Single Judge Division 9 sentenced Ms. Lee to a fine of 12 million won, finding her guilty of defamation and slander.

At that time, the court stated in its ruling that "there is no evidence that Ms. Lee directly witnessed Park Soo-hong cohabiting with a woman when he appeared on 'My Little Old Boy.' The location she claimed to have seen the suspected cohabitant was not inside the house but in the parking lot. Even if there were women's items in Park Soo-hong's home, such items could naturally exist between lovers."

The court further noted, "Despite having no direct evidence of witnessing anything, Ms. Lee frequently claimed in the group chat as if she often saw 'a woman always present' and encouraged others to spread this information. Even if Ms. Lee had asked about truthful facts, the act itself cannot be considered justified." The ruling added, "Currently, with Park Soo-hong's older brother and Ms. Lee involved in a legal dispute that has drawn public attention, it appears Ms. Lee sought to shape public opinion in her favor, demonstrating strong intent to slander Park Soo-hong. She transmitted the defamatory content directly into the chat room and executed plans to disseminate it more widely through internet article comments. Given Park Soo-hong's profession, the degree of defamation is significant, and false information spread via the internet causes substantial harm. Yet Ms. Lee only presents her own and her family's situation with unconvincing excuses and makes no effort to seek forgiveness from the victim."

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

During the subsequent closing argument, 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. She denies the charges and shows no remorse. She has taken no measures to restore the victim's damages, and the victim also seeks severe punishment." The prosecution recommended a 10-month prison sentence.

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*This content was translated by AI.