Kim Sae-ron’s mother among those referred to prosecutors in Kim Soo-hyun case
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency said police found grounds for charges against several people over alleged defamation, coercion and illegal distribution of filmed material.
Actor Kim Soo-hyun
YONHAP
The mother of late actor Kim Sae-ron was among several suspects referred to prosecutors in connection with defamation and coercion complaints filed by fellow actor Kim Soo-hyun.
"Following the indictment and detention of Kim Se-ui, head of YouTube channel HoverLab, several accomplices involved in spreading false information have also been referred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office [without detention] after police found grounds for criminal charges," Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, said in a statement on Monday.
Kim Se-ui was indicted for allegedly spreading false claims about Kim Soo-hyun on social media, with the YouTuber accusing the actor of dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.
"Those referred to prosecutors include the late Kim Sae-ron's mother and an individual who impersonated her aunt," the agency said. "They face charges including defamation through the dissemination of false information under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, distribution of illegally filmed material under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and attempted coercion."
The agency added that lawyer Bu Ji-seok, who represents the bereaved family, and YouTuber Kwon Young-chan were also referred to prosecutors.
"Police decided not to refer the late actor's father to prosecutors," the agency added.
Bu faces charges of defamation under the Criminal Act and defamation through the dissemination of false information under the Information and Communications Network Act, while Kwon faces charges of distributing illegally filmed material under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, according to the agency.
Kim Soo-hyun had largely suspended his activities after allegations emerged that he had dated late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.
He resumed his activities in August after police found the accusations against him — that he had violated child protection laws and lied to prosecutors — lacked sufficient evidence.
He attended a music awards ceremony in Korea in September, marking his first public appearance in the country in about 18 months, and held a fan meet-and-greet in the Philippines this month.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[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.
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