Sentenced to 2 months in prison in the second trial for violating the National Security Act
Assistant who helped operate the media sentenced to 6 months in prison
The operator of an internet media outlet in his 60s, who posted numerous articles praising the North Korean regime and its leaders, and another man in his 60s who assisted in running the media by storing a large amount of pro-North Korean propaganda materials, were both sentenced to prison.
The Criminal Division 1 of Chuncheon District Court (Presiding Judge Shim Hyun-geun) overturned the original sentence and sentenced A (69), who was indicted for praising and encouraging under the National Security Act, to two months in prison, instead of the original three months, the court announced on the 2nd.
The assistant B was sentenced to six months in prison, the same as the original sentence. B was charged not only with praising and encouraging under the National Security Act but also with providing convenience.
A was indicted for operating an internet media outlet and editing posts from North Korean media, which are blocked domestically, and for praising, encouraging, and propagandizing North Korea’s socialist system and Juche ideology 26 times from January to May 2020.
B possessed pro-North Korean propaganda materials obtained via mobile phone from 2018 to 2020 and shared videos posted on North Korean media on Facebook. Additionally, when A and his brother faced trial for violating the National Security Act and could no longer operate the media outlet, B was charged with providing convenience by operating it under his name.
Investigations revealed that B had previously violated the National Security Act twice and was sentenced to one year in prison and one year of disqualification each time.
The first trial court stated that it sentenced A to three months and B to six months in prison, considering that A admitted to the crimes and B generally acknowledged the facts of the acts.
Displeased with the verdict, B appealed, claiming in the appellate court that “the sentence is too heavy” and “the acts were done out of a desire for peaceful reunification, with no intent to violate the law,” and requested a constitutional review of the law.
The prosecution also opposed, arguing that “the sentences given to the defendants are too light and unfair.”
However, the second trial court ruled that “considering the circumstances recognized by the evidence lawfully collected and examined by the original court, it is reasonable to find that the crimes were committed,” and upheld the original verdict.
Nonetheless, in A’s case, the court explained that the sentence was slightly reduced in consideration of fairness when simultaneously judging another National Security Act violation case in which A received a confirmed sentence of one year in prison and one year of disqualification at the Seoul Central District Court after the indictment of this case.
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