Broadcaster Kim Ou-joon, who was indicted on charges of defamation for airing false information about former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae, was sentenced to a fine in the first trial.
On the 14th, Judge Kang Kyung-mook of the Criminal Division 14 single-judge bench at the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced Kim to a fine of 20 million won on charges of defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
The court found that Kim made related remarks multiple times and that the victim suffered significant mental distress as a result.
Judge Kang said, "The number of offenses is not small, and the victim suffered considerable mental distress," and added, "The victim is petitioning for a heavy punishment for the defendant."
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Kim to one year in prison.
Kim is accused of making remarks on YouTube and radio programs he hosted from April to October 2020 to the effect that former reporter Lee threatened Lee Cheol, former SillaJen CEO, while he was incarcerated.
At the time, Kim was found to have claimed to the effect that the former reporter pressured the former CEO by demanding, "Say you gave money to Yoo Si-min."
The investigation began in Feb. 2022 when the former reporter filed a complaint against Kim. In Oct. of the same year, police decided not to refer the case to prosecutors, saying it was difficult to view Kim as having intentionally made false statements.
However, the investigation resumed when prosecutors requested a reinvestigation in Jan. 2023. Police handed the case over to prosecutors in Sept. of the same year, and prosecutors brought Kim to trial in Apr. the following year.