[Sportschosun Kim Joon-seok] The indictment has revealed that Kim Se-ui, head of the Garo Sero Research Institute, who was indicted for spreading false information about actor Kim Soo-hyun, allegedly threatened to release additional private photos, including lower-body exposure images, unless he issued a public apology.
According to the indictment in a case involving charges against Kim Se-ui, including violations of the Information and Communications Network Act, the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, and attempted coercion, which was obtained on the 4th through Rep. Park Eun-jung's office of the Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP), Kim Se-ui is accused of saying, after releasing a lower-body exposure photo of Kim Soo-hyun, that he would disclose private photos unless a public apology was made. Prosecutors cited this as one of the grounds for the attempted coercion charge.
The indictment also included remarks Kim Se-ui made during a YouTube livestream last year, in which he told Kim Soo-hyun, "This is not just about being kicked out of a drama. It cannot even be compared to the Nth Room case. There is something enormous here."
He then said, "You should know that the drama production company can file a damages claim of 120 billion won or 180 billion won against Kim Soo-hyun," prosecutors said, interpreting the comment as pressure that implied he would spread related materials if the drama were released.
Prosecutors also stated in the indictment that Kim Se-ui spread false claims a total of 25 times through YouTube broadcasts, alleging that Kim Soo-hyun had dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that the direct cause of Kim Sae-ron's death was pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side to repay debts.
Meanwhile, Kim Se-ui has been indicted without detention on charges including violations of the Information and Communications Network Act, the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, and attempted coercion. The first hearing is scheduled for August 14.
Kim Soo-hyun's side is continuing both civil and criminal legal action against Kim Se-ui and the Garo Sero Research Institute.
narusi@sportschosun.com
