Conservative YouTuber Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison and Detained in First Trial for 'Defamation of Cho Kuk'

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] A former conservative YouTuber and ex-journalist who was prosecuted for defaming former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk was sentenced to prison and detained in court in the first trial.

The Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Ma Seong-young) sentenced Woo Jong-chang, a former Monthly Chosun reporter, to 8 months in prison on the charge of violating the Information and Communications Network Act (defamation) on the 17th and detained him in court. Woo immediately expressed his intention to appeal.

The court stated, "Despite defaming the victims, former Minister Cho and Chief Judge Kim Se-yoon, the defendant has neither been forgiven by the victims nor shown any remorse."

It also explained the sentencing reason, saying, "The defendant, as a journalist, did not even carry out the minimum fact-checking process and broadcast false information. It is difficult to see this as a broadcast made for the public interest, and it is judged that there was an intention to slander the victims."

In March 2018, Woo broadcasted on his YouTube channel that he had received a tip claiming that "Cho Kuk, then Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Blue House, met with Chief Judge Kim Se-yoon, who presided over the National Intelligence Service corruption trial, at a Korean restaurant near the Blue House between January and early February 2018, just before the first trial verdict of Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil)." In response, former Minister Cho filed a police complaint against Woo the following year, stating that "this is a clear falsehood that damaged my honor."

At Woo's sentencing hearing held earlier last month, the prosecution had requested a 10-month prison sentence for him.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.