Jeong Yu-yeon (30), formerly named Jeong Yoo-ra, who was detained for failing to appear in court, asked the bench at her first trial to be tried without detention, saying there is no one to care for her children. She also denied her own fraud charge.
On the 5th, Judge Ha Seok-chan of the Uijeongbu District Court Namyangju Branch Criminal Division 1 held the first trial for Jeong, who was indicted on charges of fraud and insult.
Jeong's trial began in September last year, but it kept being delayed due to Jeong's failure to appear, among other reasons. The court ultimately issued an arrest warrant for Jeong on the of last month.
Jeong is currently on trial as a detainee awaiting judgment at Uijeongbu Prison. That day, Jeong appeared in court wearing a prison uniform. When the judge asked about her occupation, she answered that she is a "YouTuber."
The prosecutor said, "In 2023, Jeong borrowed a total of 70 million won from victim A in two installments, promising to pay 30% as interest, then did not repay it, and between March and May 2025, she insulted victim B on three occasions by shouting profanities or posting B's photo on her YouTube channel and social media (SNS) and writing 'ppalgaengi.'"
In response, Jeong's attorney said, "We admit the insult charge, but we deny the part that says she borrowed money from A and did not repay it," adding, "We have not yet reviewed all the related documents, so we will decide after review whether to admit any part."
At this point, while coordinating the trial schedule, Jeong's attorney asked the bench for a trial without detention. The attorney explained, "The defendant, a single mother, is raising three children, and even just yesterday the school contacted us about the children, to the point that they are unable to live a normal life."
The attorney continued, "She has cut off contact with her ex-husband after the divorce, and there is no one around to ask for help, and even the family's living expenses are not being provided at all," adding, "The defendant's mother is also incarcerated, so there is no one other than the defendant who can care for the children."
Earlier, on the 25th, Jeong applied for bail for the same reason. But on the 3rd, the bench rejected it.
Jeong's next hearing is scheduled to be held in the same courtroom on the 17th.