Actor Jo Deok-je, given probation for 'sexual harassment,' sentenced to prison for secondary victimization... Court imprisonment

On November 7, 2017, actor Jo Deok-jae expressed his position regarding the controversy over sexual harassment of an actress at a rebuttal press conference held at P&T Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Actor Jo Deok-je (53), who was sentenced to a suspended prison term in 2018 for forcibly touching a fellow actress's body without consent during a film shoot, has been sentenced to actual imprisonment and taken into custody for 'secondary harm' such as defamation against the victim.

On the 15th, Judge Park Chang-woo of the Criminal Division 2 at Uijeongbu District Court sentenced Jo, who was indicted without detention on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, insult, and violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (breach of confidentiality), to one year in prison and ordered his immediate detention.

The court also sentenced Jo's spouse, Jeong Mo, who was jointly indicted on the same charges, to six months in prison with a two-year suspension.

The court stated, "Jo made false statements based on arbitrary speculation," and "produced and posted videos different from the actual scene of the forced molestation, making it appear as if the victim had given false testimony."

It added, "Although Jo claimed the molestation was unjust and appeared to have committed the crime impulsively, he committed the offense out of dissatisfaction with the ruling after the second trial," and "considering the prolonged duration of the offense, its high punishability, and the victim's plea for severe punishment," explaining the sentencing rationale.

Previously, Jo and others were indicted without detention on charges of repeatedly posting false information online to defame the victim, actress Ban Min-jung, after the sexual harassment case trials were underway or after the Supreme Court's final ruling in 2017-2018.

At the sentencing hearing last month, the prosecution requested three years in prison for Jo and ten months for Jeong, stating, "Jo and others denied the crime, showed no remorse, and continued secondary harm through YouTube broadcasts even during the trial."

Jo also requested to resume arguments before the sentencing hearing, but the request was denied.

Previously, in April 2015, Jo was tried for forcibly touching actress Ban without prior consent during a film shoot, and in September 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed a sentence of one year in prison with a two-year suspension and 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program completion.

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