Soccer player Hwang Ui-jo, 33, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation in the second trial regarding illegal filming charges. This is the same sentence as during the first trial on February.
On the 4th, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Appeal Division 1-3 (Director General Jo Jeong-rae) sentenced Hwang to one year in prison with a two-year probation in the second trial for charges including violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (filming using a camera, etc.) and ordered 200 hours of community service and 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.
The court noted that "the victim experienced extreme mental distress from the acts of filming and distribution" and said, "The defendant denied the crime during the investigation and hinted at some of the victim's information."
However, the court stated, "The various sentencing conditions have not changed significantly compared to the first trial," and added, "The sentence given in the first trial appears to be appropriate."
After the second trial's ruling, Hwang issued an apology through his lawyer. He stated, "As a soccer player, I have received overwhelming love, but due to my mistakes, I betrayed that trust and caused great disappointment. I will now focus solely on soccer and strive to regain the trust of all soccer fans and everyone who supports me by maturing further."
Hwang is accused of filming sexual acts with the victim without consent multiple times.
The investigation revealed that Hwang illegally filmed videos of sexual acts without the other party's consent four times between June and September 2022, and he was indicted in July of last year.
Meanwhile, this case became controversial when, in June 2023, posts and videos exposing Hwang's private life circulated primarily on social media. Hwang filed a complaint against the person who spread the videos for charges including intimidation. The police investigation revealed that the person who distributed the videos was his sister-in-law, who had been acting as his manager. Hwang's sister-in-law was sentenced to three years in prison in September last year for distributing illegal filming materials and intimidation.