Prosecutors have sought a prison sentence for a YouTuber in his 50s who spread false claims about Kim Hee-young, the partner of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and chairwoman of the TNC Foundation.
According to legal sources Thursday, prosecutors asked Judge Kwon Min-jung of Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division 6 to sentence the defendant, identified only by his surname Park, to eight months in prison. The hearing was the first trial session in a case charging Park with defamation through false statements under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
Park is accused of repeatedly claiming on his YouTube channel last year that Kim was likely a Chinese spy, spreading false information to his viewers.
"The defendant made statements that are groundless and difficult to accept by any reasonable standard, and uploaded videos of those statements — conduct that reflects poorly on his character," prosecutors said.
Park admitted to all charges at the hearing Thursday.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 9.
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