Actor Hwang Jung-min's agency says author of privacy posts is stalking suspect, vows further legal action

The agency of actor Hwang Jung-min has identified the person behind a series of privacy-related posts circulating online as "a stalking suspect who has persistently harassed Hwang Jung-min."

Sam Company issued an official statement Wednesday saying Hwang had filed a criminal complaint against the individual. "The court imposed provisional measures — including a restraining order — on the suspect on three separate occasions, and issued a summary order imposing a fine of 3 million won ($2,050) after finding the stalking charges substantiated," the agency said.

Sam Company added that it plans to take further legal action over what it called "maliciously edited posts," and apologized for causing concern.

The posts, which appeared and spread online Wednesday, were written by someone claiming to have been in a romantic relationship with Hwang. The author presented screenshots of messenger conversations and call logs as evidence for the claims.

The authenticity of the posts and the screenshots has not been verified.

Under the Stalking Punishment Act, provisional measures are orders a court may impose on a suspect — such as prohibiting contact or communication — when it determines there is a risk of repeat stalking. A summary order is a procedure in which a court imposes a fine or similar penalty based solely on a written review, without a formal trial, upon a prosecutor's request.