Former volleyball player turned broadcaster, Kim Yohan, has been vindicated as his blackmailer, who accused him of illegal gambling and other private life scandals, has been sentenced to prison.
Janggoon Entertainment, Kim's agency, announced on the 18th that "Recently, Mr. A, who threatened Kim Yohan with retaliation, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Seoul Central District Court's criminal division and taken into custody."
The agency added, "In June 2023 and January 2024, Mr. A was also convicted for making baseless accusations of illegal gambling and spreading rumors about Kim's private life online, under charges of extortion, threats, and violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation). As a result, Kim had to step down from all his commentary and broadcasting roles, suffering significant damage."
Following the conviction, it was revealed that Mr. A harbored a grudge against Kim and made another retaliatory threat in June last year. "Mr. A was charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (retaliatory threats, etc.) and was sentenced to one year in prison last month. Additionally, Kim won a separate civil lawsuit against Mr. A for spreading false information and defamation, thus clearing all charges," the agency reported.
Janggoon Entertainment expressed gratitude for the support during this challenging time: "It took a long time for the truth to come out, but we are thankful for the support from everyone who stood by Kim Yohan through this severe mental distress. We will not spare any support to ensure Kim can continue his diverse activities in the future."
Kim Yohan, known for his skills and good looks, was a beloved volleyball star. He won a gold medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and a bronze at the Guangzhou Asian Games. After retiring, he appeared in shows like JTBC's 'Mungchyeoya Chanda' Season 2, 'The King of Ssireum', and 'Ping Pong Stars', making significant contributions.
-Below is the official statement from Kim Yohan's agency-
Hello, this is Janggoon Entertainment, the agency of Kim Yohan.
Recently, Mr. Hong, who made retaliatory threats against Kim Yohan, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Seoul Central District Court's criminal division and taken into custody.
In June 2023 and January 2024, Mr. Hong was also convicted for making unfounded accusations of illegal gambling and spreading rumors about Kim's private life online, under charges of extortion, threats, and violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation). This led to Kim stepping down from all his commentary and broadcasting roles, suffering significant damage.
After being convicted, Mr. Hong harbored a grudge against Kim and initiated another retaliatory threat in June 2024. He was charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (retaliatory threats, etc.) and was sentenced to one year in prison last month. Additionally, Kim won a separate civil lawsuit against Mr. Hong for spreading false information and defamation, thus clearing all charges.
We apologize for the concern this incident may have caused to fans and all parties involved. It took a long time for the truth to come out, but we are grateful for the support from everyone who stood by Kim Yohan through this severe mental distress.
Going forward, Janggoon Entertainment will fully support Kim Yohan in continuing his diverse activities.
Thank you.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)