Woman who cast Park Si-hoo as the “main culprit behind a family breakup” gets 10 months in prison

[Financial News] A woman who posted false claims on social media (SNS) that actor Park Si-hoo had introduced a woman to her ex-husband, causing a family to break apart, was sentenced to prison.
According to Yonhap News Agency, News1 and other outlets on the 29th, Presiding Judge Seo Beom-jun of the Seoul Eastern District Court’s Criminal Division 2 (single-judge panel) sentenced Woman A to 10 months in prison on the 22nd. She had faced charges including violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation), violating the Personal Information Protection Act, and theft.
A was indicted on charges of stealing, among other things, her ex-husband B’s cellphone on August 3 last year and, two days later, posting on her own SNS an article claiming that “Park Si-hoo introduced a woman to B, causing a family to break apart.”
The KakaoTalk messages between Park and B that A made public were also found to contain Park’s actual home address and real name.
A lawyer for Park said, “Park Si-hoo never introduced a woman to B, and A posted this despite fully knowing it was false. Park Si-hoo had to suspend public activities for a considerable period and suffered significant psychological and financial harm, including restrictions on activities as a film that had finished shooting was nearing release.”
The court explained its sentencing rationale, saying, “The consequences of the crime are serious, and there are prior instances of A being fined for defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. A has not been forgiven by the victims, who are seeking severe punishment.” However, it treated as mitigating circumstances that A admitted to all the offenses and expressed remorse, and had no prior criminal penalties more severe than fines.
A appealed the ruling.
Meanwhile, Park’s side said it is pursuing a civil lawsuit seeking damages from A, separately from the criminal proceedings, and has also secured a provisional attachment of A’s assets.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter