40s Who Posted Multiple Defamatory Posts About Baek Jong-won Receives Reduced Fine in Appeal Trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A man in his 40s who repeatedly posted defamatory comments about Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, online had his fine reduced in the second trial.

The Seoul Western District Court Criminal Appeal Division 1-3 (Presiding Judge Jeong Gye-seon) announced on the 5th that it overturned the original sentence of a 1.5 million won fine and sentenced A (49), who was charged with defamation for posting a total of 11 defamatory posts about CEO Baek on the internet from May 2019 to January last year, to a 700,000 won fine.

The court ruled that some of the posts made by A "did not sufficiently constitute acts of insulting the victim or acts against social norms."

It also judged, "The victim had relocated a specific store featured on the program to another location, which was right next to the hotel operated by the victim," and "Since it seemed like advertising the victim's hotel, the defendant expressed dissatisfaction about unfairness."

Previously, A was charged with criticizing SBS's 'Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant' through posts and referring to CEO Baek with expressions such as 'shameless XX,' 'XX worse than thugs,' and 'XX son of a b****.'

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