South Korean courts sentence individuals for false accusations and violent extortion

A South Korean woman in her 20s has been sentenced to one year in prison for filing a false report of sexual assault. The Chungju branch of the Cheongju District Court found that the woman falsely claimed she was raped six times by a man she met through a chat application, alleging he had threatened her over financial matters. However, the court determined that SNS messages between the two indicated a natural relationship between friends or lovers, lacking signs of coercion. The court also noted that the defendant had used the man's credit card without permission and stolen cash from his wallet.

In a separate case, a 27-year-old man was sentenced to one year in prison by the Chuncheon District Court for group assault and extortion involving individuals met through an open chat room. The defendant and his accomplices physically assaulted a victim, causing injuries that required six weeks of treatment. Additionally, the group intimidated another individual by threatening their family, forcing them to sign a promissory note for 30 million won, and using the victim's identity to secure 11.2 million won in loans.