Woman in Her 40s Convicted of Stalking Hwang Jung-min Appeals 6 Million Won Fine; Prosecutors Also Appeal, Calling It Too Lenient

[Financial News] A woman in her 40s who was sentenced in the first trial to a fine of 6 million won for stalking actor Hwang Jung-min has appealed the ruling. Prosecutors have also filed an appeal, sending the case to a second trial.
According to legal sources on the 15th, the Goyang Branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors’ Office filed an appeal the previous day against the first-instance ruling involving Woman A, who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes. Prosecutors had sought a fine of 10 million won at the final hearing and reportedly appealed on grounds including improper sentencing. Woman A had already filed her own appeal on the 10th.
Woman A is accused of sending hundreds of KakaoTalk and text messages to Hwang Jung-min and his family, causing them anxiety and fear. Investigators also found that she sent threatening messages saying, "I will take my own life."
The case dates back to August last year. After Hwang Jung-min’s side filed a complaint, Woman A received a summary order imposing a fine of 3 million won from the court in February. She challenged the order and requested a formal trial, but the first-instance court instead sentenced her to a fine of 6 million won—twice the amount in the summary order.
The first-instance court, presided over by Judge Kim Young-ah of the Criminal Division 4 of the Goyang Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court, criticized her, saying, "She repeatedly contacted the victim despite the victim expressing a refusal, causing anxiety and fear." The court added, "Even if there had been a legitimate reason to make contact, the content and frequency of the messages went beyond what could justify the defendant’s conduct."
In particular, in July, while the trial was underway, Woman A posted on social media material suggesting that she had been in a private extramarital relationship with Hwang Jung-min. She also released maliciously edited call recordings and portions of messages, intensifying the controversy. In addition, she has pursued civil litigation, filing a lawsuit seeking damages in the hundreds of millions of won after claiming that "Hwang Jung-min unilaterally withdrew from a business we had been pursuing together."
SEM COMPANY, Hwang Jung-min’s agency, announced a strong legal response immediately after the first-instance ruling, saying, "Stalking that threatens another person’s life cannot be justified for any reason." The agency added, "We plan to take all legal measures against the dissemination of false information and the release and distribution of maliciously edited recordings."

[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter