As U.S. national YouTuber Jonny Somali (real name Ramsey Khalid Ismail), who caused controversy by, among other things, kissing the "Statue of Peace," was sentenced to prison at the first trial and taken into custody in court, both the prosecution and the defendant appealed the ruling.
According to legal sources, Somali filed a notice of appeal with the Seoul Western District Court on the 20th, five days after the first-trial sentence. The prosecution also filed a notice of appeal the next day, on the 21st.
Earlier, on the 15th, the first trial panel, Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 1 single-judge Director General Park Ji-won, sentenced Somali, who was indicted on charges of interference with business, violating the Misdemeanor Punishment Act, and violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (distribution of fake videos, etc.), to six months in prison and 20 days of detention. The court also ordered a five-year employment restriction on institutions related to children, teenagers, and people with disabilities.
The court said, "The defendant committed the crimes against an unspecified number of people in order to obtain revenue through YouTube broadcasts and aired them, showing a serious disregard for Korea's legal order," and ruled accordingly. Immediately after the sentencing, the court issued an arrest warrant, and Somali was taken into custody in court.
In 2024, Somali allegedly interfered with operations by disrupting riders at Lotte World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and causing a disturbance at a convenience store in Mapo-gu, where the worker was splashed with cup noodle broth. Somali is also accused of causing a disturbance in a public place and producing and distributing obscene videos with faces superimposed. In the first trial, prosecutors sought three years in prison and a 150,000 won fine.