[Sportschosun Reporter Jo Min-jung] A lawyer who threatened YouTuber Tzyang (real name Park Jung-won) and extorted money from her has been held liable for damages amounting to tens of millions of won.
According to recent reports in the legal community, Judge Kim Yu-seong of the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 90 ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff in the damages claim lawsuit filed by Tzyang against lawyer Choi. Conversely, the countersuit filed by Choi's side was not accepted.
1 million won. 1 million won extorted by Choi, 30 million won in damages for reduced YouTube revenue, and 20 million won in consolation money for emotional distress.
1 million won under the pretext of media response consulting fees by threatening to expose Tzyang's past history of working at entertainment establishments while serving as a legal advisor for the CEO of Tzyang's former agency. He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges including extortion, and the ruling was finalized by the Supreme Court last March.
The court also took issue with Choi's act of leaking personal information. The court pointed out, "The leaked information is personal information closely related to private life and poses a risk of being misused for secondary crimes," adding, "Considering that both parties were YouTubers, the potential for the information to spread was also very high.
" The court further explained, "The plaintiff's social reputation and positive image have been significantly damaged due to the defendant's acts of leaking personal information and spreading false information," and "It is determined that economic losses, such as a decrease in YouTube revenue, also have a substantial causal relationship with the defendant's illegal acts. " Furthermore, the court ruled, "Since the extortion charges have been confirmed as guilty in the criminal trial, the defendant has an obligation to return the amount obtained through the extortion unless there are special circumstances.
" However, the court stated that it determined the amount of compensation by taking into account the difficulty of accurately calculating damages, as YouTube and advertising revenue are influenced by various external variables. Meanwhile, Tzyang filed a civil lawsuit against Choi last year, claiming that her reputation was damaged and she suffered economic damages due to the leak of her personal information and the spreading of false information.
Reporter Jo Min-jeong mj. cho@sportschosun.com
