Former South Korean national football team player Hwang Ui-jo, who was brought to trial on charges of illegal filming, was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence in the first trial.

On the 14th, a Korean court sentenced Hwang, who was indicted on charges of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, to one year in prison and two years of probation. However, considering his criminal record and the risk of repeat offenses, it was decided that there was no need to disclose his personal information or restrict his employment, and no such restrictions were imposed. The prosecution had previously demanded a four-year prison sentence for Hwang.

Hwang appeared in court wearing a black suit and bowed his head the entire time. After the ruling, Hwang left the courtroom and said, “I apologize,” and “I personally apologize to soccer fans, and I feel truly sorry.”

The court stated, “Considering the seriousness of the social harm caused by illegal filming crimes, there is a need for strict punishment,” and “He filmed sexual intercourse scenes against the victim’s will on four occasions using a cell phone, and the nature of the crime is not good considering the number of times he committed the crime and the specific content of the footage.” He continued, "The victim is suffering from significant mental shock and pain, and Mr. Hwang has not been forgiven by the victim."

However, the court explained, "The fact that Mr. Hwang admitted to the crime and reflected on it, deposited a significant amount of money, and that the footage was distributed on social media by a third party, but Mr. Hwang did not participate in the crime, were considered as favorable circumstances for sentencing."

In addition, the court stated, "We cannot hold the defendant responsible for the damage caused by a separate crime beyond criminal punishment and condemnation for the illegal filming act," and "It seems difficult to identify the victim with only the videos and photos distributed by a third party."

The victim's side disputed the court's decision. They refused to deposit money, saying that it affected the sentence. The victim's attorney, Lee Eun-yi, emphasized after the sentencing, "Hwang Ui-jo suddenly confessed and reflected on his actions at the first hearing, and a surprise deposit was made at the second hearing," and "Today, that part was taken into consideration as a favorable sentencing, but he expressed his intention to refuse the surprise deposit."

He then criticized, "This is a typical ruling that shows how lenient (the court is toward the perpetrator) and how little understanding it is of the victim's wounds," and "It is a strange and ugly ruling."

Hwang is accused of illegally filming videos of sexual intercourse without the other party's consent on four occasions between June and September 2022. It has been confirmed that there were two victims. In June of last year, Hwang filed a complaint with the police against his sister-in-law, who shared photos and videos of him and women on social media, on charges of blackmail, but the circumstances of the illegal filming were captured during the investigation.