The court ordered lawyer Kim So-yeon to delete videos related to YouTuber Tzuyang (real name Park Jung-won) and prohibited further posting. Lawyer Kim is the representative of Gujae-yeok (Lee Jun-hee), who was sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial for allegedly threatening to expose Tzuyang's private life and extorting money.
According to a report by Edaily on the 27th, the 21st Civil Division of the Daejeon District Court (presided over by Judge Kim Soon-han) recently made a partial ruling in the case of Tzuyang's request for a 'deletion and posting ban' against lawyer Kim So-yeon, who represents Gujae-yeok, and a journalist from the internet media company operating the YouTube channel he appears on.
Previously, Tzuyang filed a request for a preliminary injunction with the court, claiming that the videos posted by lawyer Kim and others on the YouTube channel from July to December last year contained false information and seriously invaded her privacy.
In the videos, lawyer Kim and others stated false information such as "there are forces related to China behind Tzuyang," "Tzuyang is planning and preparing to defame other YouTubers," and "Tzuyang committed perjury in related criminal cases." They also repeatedly spread false information and used derogatory expressions mentioning tax evasion, abortion, and entertainment establishments.
The court determined that the videos by lawyer Kim and others constituted an invasion of privacy and defamation. It pointed out that the mentions of Tzuyang's alleged violations of medical laws, tax evasion, and past work in entertainment establishments were "intimate private matters or unverified facts that infringe on the secrecy and freedom of private life," and stated, "Even if these claims are expressions of opinion regarding YouTube broadcasts by organizations like the Garosero Research Institute, the distinction between commentary and factual statements is not clearly made in the broadcasts, increasing the likelihood that viewers will perceive them as actual facts."
However, regarding Tzuyang's request for indirect enforcement to bear costs if the video deletion is violated in the future, the court dismissed it, stating, "Indirect enforcement can be sought through a separate application if circumstances arise."
Earlier, on the 24th, the Seoul High Court made a partial ruling in the case of Tzuyang's appeal for a 'deletion and posting ban' against the Garosero Research Institute and its representative Kim Se-hee. The court ordered that if the Garosero Research Institute and Kim Se-hee post videos related to Tzuyang, they must pay 10 million won for each instance.
