The court sentenced him to penalties including imprisonment on groundless charges that he posted articles on the Juche idea, Songun policy and advantages of the system in the north and reported the "Cheonan" case and the Yonphyong Island shelling case from the stand favoring the north.

South Korean lawyers protested against the unreasonable verdict, warning it will adversely affect the south-north relations as it is an expression of suppression of the freedom of speech and the willingness to permit only reports slandering the north.