'Animal Abuse Controversy' KBS Taejong Yi Bang-won Production Team Fined 10 Million Won

KBS Fined 5 Million Won

The production team prosecuted on charges of animal abuse during the filming of the drama 'Taejong Yi Bang-won' aired on KBS was sentenced to fines.

On the 17th, Judge Jeon Beom-sik of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 8 sentenced three producers, including a KBS producer, who were indicted for violating the Animal Protection Act, to fines of 10 million won each. KBS, prosecuted under the joint penalty provision, was fined 5 million won.

Judge Jeon stated, "There is no evidence to suggest that the horse was trained to fall," and "The act appears to have been done with the awareness that the horse could be injured during the fall filming process, which constitutes abuse under the Animal Protection Act."

He added, "Considering the defendants' criminal acts, the pain the horse endured, and the social repercussions caused after the broadcast of the footage, the crime is not minor," but explained the sentencing by saying, "The defendants acknowledged the basic facts, and after the incident, KBS established and implemented additional broadcasting production guidelines regarding animal filming."

They are accused of tying a rope to the horse's front leg to make it fall in order to film a falling scene during the drama shoot in November 2021. The horse died five days after filming. Subsequently, animal protection organizations reported the three producers in January 2022, and the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office indicted them without detention in July last year on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act.

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