Prosecutors on Thursday sought a four-year prison sentence for a YouTuber accused of posting false and defamatory videos about celebrities, including Ive's Jang Won-young, arguing that the lower court’s ruling was too lenient, according to local media reports.
The appellate court in Incheon held a final hearing for the YouTuber, a woman surnamed Park in her late 30s, on charges of online defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. In the first trial she was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for three years.
During the hearing, prosecutors demanded a heavier sentence, saying the previous punishment was too light.
“There are many victims, and none of them have forgiven the defendant,” they said. “By operating a paid program, she earned about 200 million won ($140,000) in profit, and the gravity of her offense is serious.”
In her final statement, Park said, “I made videos based on comments and stories posted online, believing it was part of the public’s right to know. Now I clearly realize that was a big mistake.”
The appellate court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on Nov. 11.
The YouTuber operated a channel whose name translates to “De-fandom Camp,” where she uploaded 23 videos between October 2021 and June 2023 that spread false information and defamed celebrities and online influencers. One video claimed that “because of Jang Won-young’s jealousy, another member’s debut was canceled.”
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