Fine of 5 Million Won for Spreading "Spy Allegations"
10-Month Prison Term, 2-Year Suspension for False Crime-Involvement Posts
Agency: "Legal Action Taken Against 96 People Last Year... No Leniency"
People who spread false rumors about singer and actress IU, including so-called "spy allegations," have been sentenced to fines.
On February 11, IU's agency Idam Entertainment announced the status of its legal response through its official social media accounts, stating, "We filed criminal complaints and civil lawsuits last year against a total of 96 individuals who posted malicious content targeting IU, including defamation, insult, dissemination of false information, malicious slander, and sexual harassment."
First, the court imposed a fine of 5 million won on the individual who spread the false rumor that IU is a spy. This person is known to have posted writings online referring to IU as a spy.
In a separate lawsuit for emotional damages filed against a person who raised false plagiarism allegations against IU on X (X, formerly Twitter) and reported her for alleged violations of copyright law, the court fully accepted IU's claim for 30 million won.
Another individual who repeatedly posted baseless claims on the portal site Naver that IU was involved in serious crimes, spread false rumors about her nationality and identity, and wrote sexually harassing posts was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 2 years. The court also ordered the defendant to be placed under probation.
The agency explained that, for those who posted malicious content targeting IU since November 2024, the authorities have handed down seven cases of fines, one case of a fine combined with an order to complete a sexual violence treatment program, three cases of conditional non-prosecution contingent on completion of an educational program, and one case of a suspended prison sentence with probation. The agency added that additional complaints were filed against individuals who continued to post malicious content even after the first complaint, and that some of these cases proceeded as full trials rather than summary orders.
In addition, the criminal complaints filed against so-called "cyber wrecker" accounts on YouTube that spread slander and false information about IU are currently under investigation by law enforcement agencies. The agency has also filed civil lawsuits for damages against users who spread false information on Threads, and is pursuing procedures in a U.S. court to request disclosure of information in order to identify them.
Furthermore, the agency stated, "Recently, there have been multiple cases in which individuals who came near the residences of IU and her family or near the company, threatened their safety, or demanded money have been booked by the police for illegal acts," and continued, "We will continue to take strong legal action, including criminal complaints, without any leniency against all acts that threaten IU's safety." The agency also requested, "Please refrain from any act of approaching or visiting the artist, her family, or related personnel."
The agency added, "We are currently taking additional legal measures against those who continue to post malicious content," and stressed, "We will hold perpetrators strictly accountable to the very end, without any settlements or leniency."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
