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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] On July 23, the legal community reported that the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office (Criminal Division 1, Chief Prosecutor Im Yu-kyung) indicted a 70-year-old YouTuber surnamed Park without detention on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.
Park is accused of repeatedly posting videos and blog entries containing baseless allegations—including claims of a ₩100 billion donation, obstruction of a child’s employment, and other false statements about SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Kim Hee-young, Director of the T&C Foundation—from June to October 2023.
Prosecutors determined that Park’s false claims had spread indiscriminately across other YouTube channels, online communities, and social networking services (SNS).
Park is known to be a longtime acquaintance and close associate of Roh So-young, Director of Art Center Nabi, who is currently undergoing divorce proceedings with Chairman Chey. Park had previously referred to himself as the "fan club president" in broadcasts and was reportedly involved in a future-oriented academic association alongside Director Roh.
In November 2023, a lawyer representing Director Roh also claimed the ₩100 billion donation allegation during a press briefing, and is currently under police investigation following a defamation complaint filed by Chairman Chey.
In a related incident, another associate of Director Roh—identified as Kim—was convicted in 2018 for defamation after running an online café that posted malicious and false content about Chairman Chey and Director Kim. The Supreme Court sentenced Kim to eight months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. Several other members of the online group were also fined.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
