The petition, titled “Request for Strong National Assembly Sanctions to Prevent Celebrity Suicides Caused by Entertainment Journalists’ YouTube Activities”, was posted on the National Assembly’s petition website on February 24. As of 10 AM on March 13, it had secured over 41,000 signatures.
The petitioner stated, “The issue of entertainment journalists using YouTube channels to harass celebrities at a near-stalking level is nothing new. Although Kim Sae-ron took time for self-reflection following her DUI accident, entertainment journalists continuously exposed her every move against her will through their YouTube channels, resurfacing her past whenever the public was about to forget.”
The petition further urged, “YouTube has now become one of the most influential platforms in our daily lives. It is imperative to establish basic qualification standards for YouTubers and implement clear regulations for their content, holding them to the same accountability standards as traditional media.”
If a National Assembly petition receives 50,000 signatures within 30 days, it is formally reviewed by the relevant committees, and within 90 days, the National Assembly will determine whether to deliberate on it in a plenary session.
Previously, Kim Sae-ron’s father expressed his grievances in an interview with Ilgan Sports, “Sae-ron suffered immensely because of cyber wreckers like entertainment journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin-ho. Even now, our family’s pain has not ended.” The bereaved family announced plans for legal action against Lee Jin-ho.
In response, Lee Jin-ho issued a statement on his YouTube community tab, saying, “Regardless of the circumstances, I deeply bow my head in sorrow over the fact that the bereaved family, who must already be devastated, has had to see their names repeatedly mentioned in news articles. Once again, I extend my deepest condolences to the late Kim Sae-ron.”
Sources: Kbizoom