YouTuber Claiming Friendship with Lee Young-ae and Mrs. Kim Summarily Prosecuted with 7 Million Won Fine

Violation of the Information and Communications Network Act (Defamation)
Lee Young-ae's Side Appeals... Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Orders Reinvestigation
Plaintiff Lost the Damages Lawsuit Last Year

Actor Lee Young-ae poses ahead of the audience talk (GV) for the film "Joint Security Area JSA" held on the afternoon of February 4 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Actress Lee Young-ae has filed a lawsuit against a YouTuber who claimed to have a close relationship with First Lady Kim Geon-hee, and it has been revealed that the prosecution has summarily indicted the YouTuber.

According to the legal community on the 20th, the Criminal Division of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office summarily indicted Jeong Cheon-su, former representative of the YouTube channel 'Open Sympathy TV,' on the 14th for violating the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation), imposing a fine of 7 million won. A summary indictment is a procedure in which the court is requested to impose a fine or penalty without a formal trial, through a written review.

Earlier, in September 2023, Lee Young-ae donated 50 million won to the Rhee Syngman Memorial Foundation, delivering a letter stating, "President Rhee Syngman was excessive, but he laid the foundation for today's free Republic of Korea." In the same month, Open Sympathy TV reported, "First Lady Kim Geon-hee recruited Kim Beom-soo, a former SBS announcer, as an executive director at her company Kobana Contents," adding, "Announcer Kim is known as a sworn brother of Jeong Ho-young, chairman of Korea Raycom (Lee Young-ae's husband)." They further reported, "In 2012, only a very small number of acquaintances were invited to Chairman Jeong's twins' first birthday party, and Announcer Kim attended the event accompanied by First Lady Kim. This is how Chairman Jeong and Lee Young-ae's couple built a friendship with First Lady Kim," and added, "Lee Young-ae was a regular attendee at Kobana Contents events and voluntarily promoted them on social networking services (SNS)."

In response, Lee Young-ae's side filed a complaint with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, stating, "Jeong, the former representative, disparaged Lee Young-ae and spread fake news through YouTube." At the time, Lee Young-ae's side stated, "If the fake news had been acknowledged and an apology made, we would not have filed a lawsuit," adding, "We waited for over a month for an apology and cessation of the broadcast. If the report was incorrect, honestly admitting and apologizing is the attitude of a true journalist." However, Jeong's side rebutted, "The content is not false and is for the public interest, so there is no illegality."

The case was transferred to the Yangju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, where a decision not to prosecute was made, but Lee Young-ae's side filed an objection, leading to the case being sent to the prosecution. The Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office decided not to indict in June last year, but Lee Young-ae's side appealed, and the higher authority, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, ordered a reinvestigation in August of the same year and conducted the investigation directly.

Meanwhile, Lee Young-ae's side also filed a damages claim lawsuit regarding this matter, and the court issued a reconciliation recommendation to them in October last year. A reconciliation recommendation is when the court, for the fair resolution of an ongoing trial, recommends reconciliation ex officio, and if both parties agree, it has the same effect as a final court judgment. The court proposed, as conditions for reconciliation, that defendant Jeong delete the problematic video, prohibit future broadcasts related to the friendship between Lee Young-ae and First Lady Kim Geon-hee, and reflect the parties' positions when broadcasting about Lee Young-ae's political orientation, while requesting plaintiff Lee Young-ae to withdraw the criminal complaint. However, when Lee Young-ae's side submitted an objection stating they could not accept the court's recommendation, the damages lawsuit was ultimately ruled in favor of the defendant, resulting in a loss for the plaintiff.