US YouTuber who mocked 'comfort woman' statue seeks leniency at appeal; prosecutors seek 3-year term

Prosecutors sought a three-year prison sentence against American YouTuber Johnny Somali — real name Ramsey Khalid Ismael — at his appeal hearing Thursday, after he sparked widespread outrage for kissing and mocking a "comfort woman" statue and other provocative acts in South Korea.

The First Criminal Appeals Division of the Seoul Western District Court, presided over by Judge Ban Jeong-woo, held the appeal hearing Thursday morning on charges including obstruction of business, violation of the Minor Offenses Act and violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.

The hearing was the final arguments session in an appeal brought by both sides after neither the prosecution nor the defense accepted the first-instance ruling. The lower court had sentenced Somali to six months in prison and 20 days of detention, ordering him taken into custody in the courtroom on flight risk grounds.

Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss Somali's appeal and impose the same sentence they had sought at trial — three years in prison. "The defendant committed numerous crimes for the purpose of generating revenue, and most victims have not been compensated for their damages," they told the court. Prosecutors had sought three years in prison and a 150,000-won ($99) fine at the first trial.

In closing arguments, Somali's defense attorney urged the court to show leniency, saying the defendant "fully acknowledges all the criminal facts recognized by the lower court and is deeply remorseful." The attorney added that the degree of business obstruction was relatively minor and that the victims in the charges related to distributing manipulated videos did not wish to see him punished.

The defense also told the court that Somali had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had been taking medication in the United States, but was unable to continue his treatment after entering South Korea. The attorney said Somali had not gained any significant financial benefit from his actions and had pledged never to repeat them, asking the court to consider those factors in sentencing.

In his final statement, Somali offered a direct apology. "I sincerely apologize to the court and to the victims," he said. "I reflect on my disrespectful behavior toward the Republic of Korea and assure you this will never happen again."

The appeal ruling is scheduled for June 25.

Somali drew widespread condemnation for kissing and ridiculing the "Peace Monument" — a statue representing former comfort women — and for waving a Rising Sun flag during a live stream on his social media account while claiming that "Takeshima (Dokdo) belongs to Japan."

In October 2024, he was indicted on charges of obstructing business at a convenience store in Mapo-gu, Seoul, where he blasted music at high volume and spilled cup ramyun broth on a table.

He also faced charges of disrupting a ride at Lotte World in Songpa-gu, causing discomfort to passersby in public spaces including the subway by carrying foul-smelling bags, and producing and distributing obscene videos on YouTube that superimposed people's faces onto explicit content.

At his first hearing last year, he attempted to enter the courtroom wearing a MAGA (Make America Great Again) cap and was turned away under court rules, prompting him to declare that "South Korea is a vassal state of the United States."

The lower court had convicted Somali on charges of obstruction of business, violation of the Minor Offenses Act and distribution of manipulated videos under the special act on sexual crimes, sentencing him to six months in prison and 20 days of detention and banning him from employment at institutions serving children, youth and people with disabilities for five years. Both sides appealed.

‘평화의 소녀상에 입 맞추고, 독도는 일본땅’ 추태…조니 소말리 법정구속 [세상&]

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