According to the legal community on November 21, the Criminal Division 1 of the Pohang Branch of the Daegu District Court, presided over by Judge Park Gwang-seon, sentenced the man—identified only as “A”—to a ₩15 million fine (approximately $11,000) for violating laws protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.
The charges stem from an incident on January 12, when A used his home in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, to create deepfake images and videos by superimposing the faces of NewJeans members Haerin, Hanni, and Minji onto bodies in nude or sexual scenarios. He also distributed this illegal content through Telegram chatrooms.
In response to increasing threats against their artists, ADOR, NewJeans’ agency, recently announced intentions to pursue legal action over serious violations of privacy and the spread of fake news. The agency stated, “While perpetrators have recently attempted to reach settlements, we have refused and expressed our desire for strict punishment to the investigative authorities. We are actively cooperating with authorities to eradicate deepfake crimes against our artists.”
Meanwhile, NewJeans has also been embroiled in a year-long legal dispute with their agency following a fallout over trust. The group had declared intentions to operate independently in November last year. However, after losing their first court case on October 30, the members officially announced on November 12 their decision to return to ADOR. Reports indicate they have since held individual meetings with the agency.
Sources: Daum
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