Reporter charged for initially circulating rumors about Lee Si-yeong

A news reporter who spread rumors about a sexual video starringLee Si-yeongwas issued an arrest warrant.

The Seoul Central Court claimed that the crime was mostly true and the need for arrest was necessary.

Previously in June, a false speculation that a video footage ofLee Si-yeongand her management had been leaked and that she'd tried to kill herself in that footage was spread on SNS. The person who initially started the rumor was charged for defamation.

The investigators tracked down the initiator of the rumor and issued an arrest warrant. It turns out that the person in the video footage was notLee Si-yeongafter all.

Charges of slander applies to any baseless rumors spread on SNS. The sentence for slander goes up to 7 years or more prison time and or 10 years suspension of qualification and or a fine of 50 million won or less.