A Man in His 60s Falsely Reports "Sex Work" Amid Interfloor Noise Dispute... Fined 600,000 Won in First Trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A woman in her 60s who falsely reported her neighbor as a sex worker after experiencing noise conflicts between floors was fined in the first trial.

According to the legal community on the 2nd, Judge Choi Seon-jae of Criminal Division 13 at the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced Lee (68), who was indicted for violating the Minor Offenses Act (false reporting), to a fine of 600,000 won.

Lee was brought to trial on charges of falsely reporting to the police in October last year, claiming that the neighbor living upstairs was engaged in sex work.

Earlier, in June last year, Lee reported the upstairs resident to the police for noise between floors, saying "They slam the door." Afterwards, Lee reported the upstairs resident to the police a total of 12 times, including claims such as "I hear sounds of showering alternately. It seems like sex work is happening." When the police responded and searched the upstairs residence, no evidence of sex work was found. During the trial, Lee did not retract the claim, stating, "There is a space next to the refrigerator where a person could hide," insisting that sex work was taking place.

Judge Choi stated, "The defendant claims that the water bill for the upstairs residence is high, but it is difficult to consider this as evidence of sex work," and judged, "The photos submitted as evidence of men and women involved in sex work appear to be residents passing by the apartment." He added, "Although the false report caused a waste of police administrative resources and the upstairs resident suffered considerable mental distress, the defendant is a first-time offender with no prior criminal record, which was taken into consideration."