A netizen accused of posting malicious comments about IU has received a suspended prison sentence in the appeal trial.
According to the legal community on May 31, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced the person, referred to as A, to 4 months in prison suspended for 1 year on charges of insult.
The court also ordered probation and 80 hours of community service. Since A did not appeal again, the ruling has now been finalized.
A had previously received a fine of 3 million won in the first trial. During the appeal, another similar case involving malicious comments was combined, leading to a heavier sentence.
The court stated, “The defendant used the expression while referring to the victim,” and said it could harm the victim’s social reputation. The court also found that there was intent to insult.
The court added, “Even if the victim is a public figure, this expression goes beyond what is socially acceptable.”
The court also pointed out that A denied the charges until the appeal trial and did not show remorse. It said, “The defendant denied the crime until the appeal trial and did not show remorse, and was not forgiven by the victim”.
The court also noted that A had repeated similar actions before, raising concerns about the possibility of reoffending.
However, the court reportedly considered some personal factors, including A’s health condition and the fact that the comments were deleted.
IU has long been known for taking legal action against malicious posts, and this latest ruling is drawing attention as another example of stronger consequences for online insults against public figures.
