IVE’s Jang Wonyoung Defamation Case: Court allows Sojang to suspend compulsory execution of 50 million KRW penalty, know what it means

In a plain building, the Seoul Central District Court docket has granted the operator of the YouTube channel Sojang a suspension of compulsory execution. This decision locations a transient discontinuance to the enforcement of a damages judgment. The ruling had beforehand ordered Sojang to compensate Starship Entertainment and IVE’s Jang Wonyoung. The suspension will remain in attain until the allure process is total.

On June 24, Maeil Industry Newspaper reported that criminal expert Jung Kyung Seok of regulation company LIWU, representing both Jang Wonyoung and Starship, confirmed the choice. Per Jung, the court accredited Sojang’s request on June 23. This decision came trusty weeks after the YouTuber changed into ordered to pay tens of thousands and thousands of KRW in a defamation ruling.

What does this imply legally?

‘Obligatory execution’ refers to a trusty diagram that permits a court ruling to be forcibly utilized when the losing party does no longer comply voluntarily. This involves asset seizures or calls for for enlighten material removal.

With this most up-to-date court decision, Sojang could well no longer be required to pay the 50 million KRW (approx. 36,814 USD) awarded to Starship, for now. This suspension doesn’t cancel the ruling itself however delays its enforcement until Sojang’s allure is reviewed and resolved.

A pattern of defamation

Sojang, identified for publishing speculative and usually adversarial videos about Korean celebrities, has long been within the spotlight for defamation-associated components. Between October 2021 and June 2023, the channel uploaded a form of videos focusing on prominent idols. They embrace IVE’s Jang Wonyoung, BTS members V and Jungkook, EXO, and Kang Daniel.

Following an investigation, South Korean prosecutors stumbled on that the operator had earned spherical 250 million KRW thru the monetization of these videos. This changed into no subject the enlighten material being controversial and allegedly unhealthy.

Court docket rulings stack up in opposition to the YouTuber

On June 4, the Seoul Central District Court docket’s fiftieth Civil Division, below Settle Choi Mi Young, ruled in desire of Starship Entertainment. It ordered Sojang to pay 50 million KRW in damages. This followed a civil complaint thru which the company in the beginning demanded double that quantity: 100 million KRW. The compensation changed into hunted for the reputational damage performed to Jang Wonyoung and the corporate.

Unwilling to settle for the judgment, Sojang filed an allure on June 18, inquiring for the ruling be reviewed by a increased court. The recently accredited suspension of compulsory execution is straight away tied to this pending allure.

But this case is most productive one of many. Earlier this year in January, Jang Wonyoung moreover pursued a private civil lawsuit in opposition to Sojang’s operator. The court had ruled in her desire, ordering the YouTuber to pay one other 50 million KRW in compensation.

In February, BTS members V and Jungkook were awarded a total of 76 million KRW in a separate civil ruling. The court stumbled on that Sojang’s enlighten material titillating the duo crossed the freeway into defamation.

Kang Daniel, too, took trusty motion. In 2023, Sojang changed into fined 10 million KRW in a prison case titillating defamation in opposition to the singer. Additionally, Kang Daniel won a separate civil plod smartly with thru which the court ordered Sojang to pay 30 million KRW.