'Sexual Harassment Actress 2nd Victimization' Jo Deok-je, Also Sentenced to Prison in 2nd Trial... Sentence Reduced by 1 Month

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Actor Jo Deokje (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 in the appellate trial for charges of 'secondary harm' such as defamation against the victim. However, the sentence was reduced by one month compared to the first trial.

On the 2nd, the Criminal Division 1 of Uijeongbu District Court (Chief Judge Lee Hyun-kyung) overturned the original sentence of 12 months imprisonment and sentenced Jo Deokje to 11 months imprisonment in the appellate trial on charges including defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, insult, and violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (confidentiality breach).

Previously, Jo Deokje was indicted without detention on charges of repeatedly posting false information defaming the victim, actress Ban Minjeong, on the internet and elsewhere with the intent to slander her after the sexual harassment case trials were underway or after the Supreme Court's final ruling in 2017-2018.

However, the appellate court acquitted him of some of the insult charges, reducing Jo Deokje's sentence by one month. The court stated, "Some of the defendant's defamatory posts appear not to have been recognized as false," and "Some of the insult charges are not excessively malicious or contrary to social norms."

It added, "The repeated offenses over a long period severely hindered the victim's professional activities," and "Considering that some damages have not been restored and the victim has not forgiven the defendant."

Meanwhile, Jo Deokje was indicted in April 2015 on charges of forcibly touching actress Ban's body without prior consent during a film shoot, and in 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed a sentence of one year imprisonment with two years probation and an order to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program.

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