Agency files criminal complaint for defamation, insult under cybercrime law

Civil damages suit also planned as agency says abuse 'can no longer be overlooked'

Figure skater Lee Hae-in, a national team member in women's singles. [Yonhap]
Figure skater Lee Hae-in, a national team member in women's singles. [Yonhap]

Lee Hae-in, a national team member in women's singles figure skating who attends Korea University, has decided to take legal action against a sustained campaign of malicious slander, sexual harassment and false information targeting her.

DJ Management, Lee's agency, announced Wednesday that it had decided to pursue legal measures after malicious posts directed at Lee repeatedly escalated in severity.

"Over a prolonged period, malicious slander, insults, sexual harassment and the spread of false information targeting the athlete have continued through online communities, portal sites, social media, video platforms and direct messages," the agency said. "The conduct seriously damaging the athlete's character and reputation has reached a level that can no longer be overlooked."

The agency said it had carefully weighed how to respond in order to allow Lee to focus on training and competition, but ultimately concluded that the abuse had grown too serious to ignore. DJ Management will collect relevant materials and file a criminal complaint on charges of defamation and insult under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and will also pursue civil damages depending on the specifics of each case.

Lee recently won a bronze medal in the women's singles event at the Cup of China, the third stop of the 2026-2027 International Skating Union Grand Prix series — her first medal on the senior Grand Prix circuit.


betterj@heraldcorp.com