[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] The prosecution has requested a prison sentence for a man in his 20s, identified as Mr. A, who persistently stalked musical actress and singer Bae Da-hae for several years and posted hundreds of malicious comments about her online.
On the 8th, at the sentencing hearing presided over by Chief Judge Noh Yoo-kyung of the Criminal Division 1 at Gunsan Branch of Jeonju District Court, the prosecution asked the court to "sentence the defendant to 3 years and 6 months in prison."
Mr. A was indicted on charges of posting hundreds of malicious comments targeting Ms. Bae on internet portal sites using 24 different IDs over the past two years, including remarks such as "What are you doing with a man at a motel?" He also caused disturbances by attempting to make contact at performance venues in Seoul and other regions.
Additionally, Mr. A persistently harassed Ms. Bae by, for example, contacting her to say he wanted to gift a hamster to her cat but receiving no response, then drawing and delivering a comic depicting her cat eating the hamster.
Even while being summoned and investigated by the police, Mr. A reportedly sent mocking messages to Ms. Bae via social networking services (SNS), such as "It will end with a fine," and "Would 10 million won in settlement money be enough?"
The police, seeing no signs of remorse and fearing recidivism, applied for an arrest warrant on November 24 of last year. The Jeonju District Court Gunsan Branch issued the warrant, citing the seriousness of the case and the risk of flight.
It is reported that Mr. A initially posted his first supportive comment to Ms. Bae four years ago but gradually began posting insulting and threatening messages. During police questioning, Mr. A admitted to all his crimes, stating, "At first, I did it because I liked her and it was simply fan enthusiasm. As I kept doing it, it became more of a joke. I didn't know such behavior was a crime."
Meanwhile, the sentencing trial for defendant Mr. A is scheduled for the 17th.
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