A malicious commenter who engaged in continuous threats and sexual insults against actor Shin Sae-kyeong was sentenced to prison and taken into court custody following an appellate trial.

On November 2, her agency The Present Company stated, "On October 22, a malicious commenter who had engaged in continuous threats and malicious slander against our agency's actor Shin Sae-kyeong was sentenced to eight months in prison at the appellate trial held at the Seoul Eastern District Court and was taken into court custody."

According to the appellate court ruling, the defendant repeatedly wrote derogatory insults and insulting posts anonymously toward Shin Sae-kyeong hundreds of times over a period of about two months. It was also confirmed that the defendant targeted the actor's family and posted threatening messages implying physical harm.

The court pointed out the seriousness of the offenses, stating, "The victim had to carry out her activities amid anxiety and fear that radical and bizarre harm might be inflicted by an unknown defendant." While the defendant appealed for leniency citing personal circumstances such as depression as well as remorse, the court dismissed the appeal and ordered court custody, stating that there was no basis other than the purpose of drawing online attention and venting personal anger.

Attorney Kim Ji-ae of Law Firm Ascendant Yulbon, who represented Shin Sae-kyeong, explained, "This ruling is a clear declaration by the judiciary that cyber terror committed for the distorted purpose of attracting attention or relieving personal stress constitutes a serious ground for imprisonment," adding, "Actions that infringe on someone's personality rights and threaten their daily life while hiding behind online anonymity cannot be justified for any reason, and heavy criminal punishment and civil liability for damages will inevitably follow depending on the seriousness of the act."

The agency stated, "This ruling is a valuable outcome achieved through our efforts together with the fans. We deeply thank the fans who supported actor Shin Sae-kyeong by reporting materials steadily collected over a long period of time," adding, "We will continue to respond firmly to all illegal acts that violate the personality rights of our agency's artists, and we ask for fans' continued interest and reports." 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)