Court fines woman 6 million won for stalking actor Hwang Jung-min
The Uijeongbu District Court ordered a 40-hour anti-stalking program after finding her repeated messages caused the actor anxiety and fear.
Actor Hwang Jung-min poses for photograph at a screening event for film "Hope" in southern Seoul on July 6.
NEWS1
A woman in her 40s who stalked actor Hwang Jung-min and claimed to have had an affair with him was fined 6 million won ($4,450) on Tuesday.
The Uijeongbu District Court also ordered the defendant to complete a 40-hour anti-stalking program for violating the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking.
In late July of this year, the dispute between the two surfaced as the defendant claimed that she had been in a relationship with Hwang since 2024 and posted alleged photos, messages and phone call recordings. In response, Hwang’s agency clarified that she was a stalker who had already received a restraining order and a fine. The case was brought to court after Hwang filed a complaint against her in August last year.
“Given the number and frequency of the text messages, the court finds that they were enough to cause the victim anxiety and fear,” the verdict said. “The defendant also appears to have been aware that the victim did not want her to continue contacting him.”
The court also said that any legitimate need to contact Hwang could not excuse the sheer volume and nature of the messages she sent.
“The defendant has shown no remorse and instead blamed the victim,” the verdict said. “While the number and frequency of the text messages weighed against the defendant, the court took into consideration that she is a first-time offender with no prior criminal record.”
The woman did not attend Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. Only her attorney appeared in court.
The court issued a summary order in February fining her 3 million won, but she challenged the decision and requested a formal trial.
Prosecutors sought a 10 million won fine for the woman at the final hearing on Aug. 11.
At the hearing, the woman admitted that she had sent Hwang messages suggesting she might take her own life, as well as a suicide note and a photo of a dead cat. She said she never intended to cause him anxiety or fear.
She denied the charges and said she had only wanted Hwang to know what she was going through before ending their relationship.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
