'Insult to Women's Party' Former Game Rating Board Chair Yeomyeong-sook Fined

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Former Game Rating and Administration Committee Chairperson Yeo Myeong-suk (55), who was prosecuted for insulting the Women’s Party, was sentenced to a fine.

On the 18th, Judge Lee Nae-ju of the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced Yeo Myeong-suk (55), former Chairperson of the Game Rating and Administration Committee, to a fine of 1 million won for insulting the Women’s Party.

It was investigated that on March 21 of last year, in a YouTube video targeting the Women’s Party, she used profanity along with statements such as, "The level of party members is pathetic, so I have to help. I can’t let my own level drop, can I?" On the 27th of the same month, she also said, "The Women’s Party’s number one proportional representative pledged to eradicate the Nth Room case from the root as their first promise, but the media did not cover it anywhere. Usually, don’t women’s organizations always lie whenever they open their mouths?"

At that time, Ms. Yeo took issue with the Women’s Party’s promotion asking Lee Boo-jin, President of Shilla Hotel, and Chung Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae, to donate 10 million won with the phrase "Invest in the future of Korean women" while preparing for the general election. Ms. Yeo has maintained the position that "she only intended to point out the harms of extreme feminism through satire and humor, and did not insult anyone in particular." She also argued that political parties are not objects of insult charges, and even if the statements constitute insults, considering the motive and target, they should be regarded as justifiable acts.

The court ruled, "Political parties are also objects of insult charges, and these statements do not qualify as justifiable acts," adding, "Considering the expressions used, it is reasonable to see them as insults that degrade the social evaluation of the victims’ personal dignity."

Furthermore, the court stated, "The nature of the crime is not light, and the defendant denies the crime and has not been forgiven by the victims," but added, "Although contemptuous expressions were used, they do not appear malicious, and considering that the victims are public figures, the summary order penalty is deemed too severe." Former Chairperson Yeo filed a formal trial after objecting to the prosecution’s summary order of a 2 million won fine issued in October last year.

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