"I Feel Wronged," Lee Geun States... Disadvantageous When Victims File Lawsuits

Court's Final Ruling Yet "Did Not Commit Sexual Harassment" Statement
Secondary Harm to Victim... Possibility of Civil and Criminal Lawsuits
Disputes Possible but Explanation Post May Be Accepted as Evidence

Captain Lee Geun, Navy Reserve. [Image source=Captain Lee Geun's Instagram]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Lee Geun, a former Navy reserve captain who gained fame through the YouTube channel 'Fake Men,' is once again facing the possibility of standing trial over past sexual harassment allegations. His public denial of the Supreme Court's final ruling has led to secondary victimization of the complainant, raising the prospect of civil and criminal lawsuits. What was intended as an explanation to express his innocence has instead turned into a 'litigation risk.'

On the 14th, Seo Jeong Ha, the attorney representing the victim in Lee's sexual harassment case, told Asia Economy, "We do not rule out taking legal action regarding Lee's public statements related to the victim's honor." This implies the possibility of criminal charges for defamation under the Criminal Act and claims for damages through civil litigation. In a statement released the same day, Attorney Ha also said, "If rumors, defamation, or insulting remarks are posted online in the future, we plan to respond legally."

The issue raised by Attorney Ha concerns Lee's explanatory post about his sexual harassment record on his YouTube channel community 'Lee Geun Captain ROKSEAL.' In the post, Lee acknowledged having been punished for past sexual harassment allegations but insisted, "I did not commit any harassment." He further stated, "Even though evidence proving I did not harass was presented, the court ruled based solely on the victim's consistent testimony." He positioned himself as the victim of the court ruling.

Legal experts believe that if a lawsuit is filed, Lee's explanatory post could work against him. A lawyer from Seocho-dong said, "If the victim files a complaint for defamation due to false facts or claims damages for secondary victimization, the post could serve as unfavorable evidence." The same lawyer also stated in a recent statement, "Lee denies the confirmed court ruling and makes false claims, which has led to countless speculative remarks, defamation, and insults against the victim online, constituting secondary victimization."

Captain Lee's explanation post regarding his past sexual harassment record, posted on his YouTube channel 'Lee Geun Captain ROKSEAL' community. [Image source=YouTube channel 'Lee Geun Captain ROKSEAL']

However, it remains uncertain whether this will actually lead to litigation. There are doubts about whether criminal defamation charges can be established. Questions remain as to whether the statements meet the criteria for defamation. Attorney Junseong Jang (Law Firm How) said, "If Lee used expressions that disparaged the victim's honor, such as calling her 'false accusation' or 'lying,' that would be one thing, but simply denying the court ruling does not necessarily constitute defamation and is open to debate." It is also noted that many sexual crime victims hesitate to file lawsuits due to fears of secondary victimization.

Previously, in November 2017, Lee was prosecuted for groping the buttocks of a woman in her 20s at a club in Gangnam and was fined 2 million won by the first trial court the following year. When the second trial court upheld the same ruling, Lee filed an appeal, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in November last year, confirming the original ruling. This case became public after Kim Yongho, a YouTuber specializing in entertainment content, disclosed Lee's court ruling documents.