Kim Se Eui, the operator of the YouTube channel Hover Lab, will have his first court hearing delayed again.
Kim Se Eui was scheduled to appear before the Seoul Central District Court on August 14th to face charges including defamation, violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and violations of the Stalking Punishment Act. However, the hearing date has been changed after his legal team submitted a request expressing their intention to seek a jury trial.
In South Korea, a jury trial system allows ordinary citizens to participate in criminal cases as jurors, helping determine whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty and offering opinions on sentencing.
A court official explained, “The date was changed because the defendant’s side expressed a desire for a jury trial.”
Kim Se Eui was indicted over allegations that he spread false information through YouTube broadcasts and press conferences. Prosecutors claim he made false statements about the late actress Kim Sae Ron and actor Kim Soo Hyun, including allegations that the two had been in a relationship for approximately six years starting when Kim Sae-ron was 15 years old and a minor.
Prosecutors also said Kim Se Eui falsely claimed that pressure from Kim Soo Hyun’s side to repay debt contributed to Kim Sae Ron’s death. They allege that he used edited KakaoTalk screenshots and fabricated audio recordings, including AI-generated manipulated audio, to support these claims.
Kim Se Eui was arrested and indicted in June. He later requested a review of his detention, but the court rejected the request.
The first hearing was originally scheduled for July 24th but was postponed after Kim Se-eui requested a change of date. It has now been delayed again following his request for a jury trial.
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