Goo Hara’s Legal Team Will Appeal For A Heavier Sentence For Her Ex-Boyfriend Who Got Probation
The legal team working for Goo Hara, whose assault case involving her ex-boyfriend Choi Jong Bum earlier this year shocked the K-Pop fans worldwide, will likely be appealing the court’s decision to put Choi on probation with a suspended sentence.
Goo Hara’s lawyer stated, shortly after the court giving Choi Jong Bum an “18-month suspended sentence with 3 years probation” on August 29, 2019, that “Such decision cannot be seen as adequate.”
The court admitted Choi Jong Bum was guilty to threatening, forcing, physically assaulting, and damaging property. Yet they still sentenced him to probation anyway. That cannot be seen as an adequate ruling.
— Goo Hara’s Lawyer
The court sentenced Choi Jong Bum to probation, based on that “he did not intend on hurting Goo Hara” and that “the sex video was not filmed against Goo Hara’s will, nor was it shared publicly.”
Choi Jong Bum did hurt Goo Hara in the process of their break-up and he also threatened to end her life as a celebrity by sharing their sex video. However, we understand he did not plan on committing these crimes. The sex video was not recorded against Goo Hara’s will. The video was never leaked or shared with the public. Thus the court concludes to give Choi Jong Bum a suspended sentence with a probation period.
— Judge Oh Deok Sik
The legal team, along with Korean netizens, remain appalled by the court’s “understanding” of Choi Jong Bum recording his sexual intercourse with Goo Hara. The court claimed “while Choi did not get Goo’s full consent to video record the sexual activity, the two were in fact involved a romantic relationship at the time of the recording and Goo did not specifically stop Choi from recording either.”
The legal team hinted at filing an appeal, in hopes to have Choi Jong Bum sentenced to a heavier penalty. The lawyer looked forward to flipping the court’s decision and setting an example for the Korean society in general.
For the Korean society to stop and prevent all similar crimes from ever happening again, Choi Jung Bum must be penalized with a heavier sentence. We hope that the appeals court would sentence him with what he deserves.
— Goo Hara’s Lawyer
