US YouTuber gets 6 months in prison again for insulting "Statue of Peace"

A South Korean court has sentenced a US YouTuber to six months in prison for insulting a "Statue of Peace," a memorial for victims of Japanese wartime sexual slavery. The court upheld the original sentence, finding the YouTuber guilty of charges including obstruction of business, minor offense violations, and distributing illicit videos.

The YouTuber, known as Jonny Somaly, had previously caused controversy by kissing the "Statue of Peace." In addition to the prison sentence, he received a 20-day detention order. The court also maintained a five-year restriction on his employment at institutions related to children, adolescents, and the disabled.

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The defendant argues that the sentence imposed by the first trial is heavy, and the prosecution argues it is light.

While the prosecution had requested a three-year sentence, the appellate court dismissed both the prosecution's and the defense's appeals regarding the sentence, excluding the confiscation of a mobile phone. The court stated that the original sentence was not too heavy, as argued by the defense, nor too light, as argued by the prosecution.

Somaly was also accused of disrupting business at Lotte World by playing loud music and spilling ramen broth, and causing disturbances in public spaces. He further faces charges for creating and distributing deepfake sexual videos by merging male and female faces.

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We dismiss the appeals of both the defendant and the prosecution regarding the remaining parts, excluding the confiscation of the mobile phone.