YouTubers Spread False Rumors and Mock Victims and Bereaved Families
Supreme Prosecutors' Office Issues Guidelines to Seek Harsher Sentences
Thorough Recovery of Criminal Proceeds Ordered
On May 8, prosecutors announced that they had indicted 14 defendants for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (defamation), the Framework Act on Telecommunications, and the crime of insult. The charges stem from the spread of false rumors about the bereaved families via online posts and comments, as well as mocking the victims and their families in connection with the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster that occurred on December 29 last year.
The investigation found that the defendants committed the following acts: ▲ spreading false information, such as claims that the representative of the bereaved families was impersonating a family member as a member of a specific political party, or that the families were attempting to profit by using unclaimed bodies despite no actual aviation accident occurring; ▲ posting messages that insulted the bereaved families, including disparaging remarks about the region. Among the defendants, prosecutors detained and indicted one individual whose case was deemed particularly serious, while the remaining 13 were indicted without detention.
YouTubers identified as A and B uploaded approximately 100 videos containing false information to their YouTube channels, including posts titled "Muan Airport Aircraft Incident Video Analysis." The content included claims such as "the Jeju Air passenger plane accident did not actually occur and the video is a computer-generated fake," "the accident aircraft is a model airplane," "the bereaved families are the same people who appeared during the Sewol ferry and Itaewon incidents," and "the bereaved families are professional actors." Additionally, it was confirmed that these individuals posted a photo of the bereaved family representative, who is a victim, on their social networking service (SNS) account with about 7,000 followers, accompanied by captions such as "the bereaved family spokesperson exposed as a fake, real bereaved families outraged," and "no deceased listed on the roster," all of which were false statements.
On this day, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued case handling guidelines to local offices, stating that, as a rule, they would seek formal trials in cases involving: ▲ the dissemination of false information for economic gain or to retaliate or slander others; ▲ the intentional creation and dissemination of false information; ▲ the repeated and continuous posting of false information and derogatory remarks about specific individuals; and ▲ conduct that results in serious consequences, such as irreparable damage to social trust. Even in cases where summary indictments are filed and fines are sought, prosecutors were instructed to seek higher sentences. This policy is based on the view that cyber defamation and insult crimes have significant impact due to the wide reach and rapid spread of media, and that the persistent nature of electronic information makes recovery for victims difficult, yet a high proportion of such cases are handled with fines through summary indictments.
Meanwhile, as the spread of fake news and similar acts for economic gain via the internet has become widespread recently, prosecutors were also instructed to ensure thorough recovery of criminal proceeds obtained through defamation and related offenses. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, "We will do our utmost to protect the honor and dignity of the public and prevent irreparable psychological trauma and emotional harm by responding strictly to cyber defamation and related crimes."
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