Intimidation Complaint | Case of a Client Unjustly Charged with Intimidation After Requesting Review Deletion

The client was the representative of a company that sold tickets to tourist attractions through a portal site, offering a variety of products.

The complainant purchased a ticket to a tourist site through the client's website, and afterward, although the QR code on the ticket did not function properly, the complainant posted a complaint on the review board, stating that the customer service had been inadequate.

The post included sarcastic remarks such as ‘Is the person in charge out all day long?’ and ‘If you run a business like this, you will go under.’

Concerned that other customers might be misled after seeing the post, the client contacted the complainant and asked that the review be taken down.

During this process, the client urged the complainant to delete the post in a strong tone, saying, ‘If you do not take the post down, I will report you’ and ‘This could become a legal problem.’ In response, the complainant claimed that the client had intimidated the complainant and proceeded with an intimidation complaint.

As a result, the client came to a criminal law attorney to respond.

1) Argument That the Client Had No Intent to Intimidate

The criminal law attorney secured the records of the messages exchanged between the complainant and the client.

Through messages in which the client had explained that ‘the person in charge was on an external business trip at the time and was therefore unable to respond’ and that ‘although the customer service had been somewhat inadequate, the content of the post was not true,’ the attorney argued that there was no apparent intent on the client's part to intimidate the complainant.

In addition, through the record in which the complainant had replied, ‘I will handle it myself,’ the attorney emphasized that there were no circumstances confirming that the complainant had felt fear because of the client's words.

2) Rebuttal of the Standard for Intimidation Under Common Social Notions

By ascertaining the facts regarding the post left by the complainant, the attorney argued that the complainant had misunderstood the way the QR code worked, and that the client had merely given notice to the effect that providing untrue content could become a legal problem.

Through this, the attorney asserted that this was part of a legitimate exercise of rights and was at a level acceptable under common social notions, and therefore could not be regarded as intimidation.

The investigative agency acknowledged that the messages the client sent to the complainant were difficult to regard as giving notice of a specific harm, and that it was difficult to conclude that those expressions alone had caused the complainant to feel fear.

Accordingly, the agency issued a non-referral decision, finding that the alleged offense in the intimidation complaint case was not established.

With the assistance of the criminal law attorney, the client was able to escape the unjust intimidation complaint situation and conclude the case without incident.

Under Article 283 of the Criminal Act, the crime of intimidation may be punished by imprisonment for up to 3 years, a fine of up to 5 million won, detention, or a minor fine.

If a person commits intimidation against his or her own or a spouse's lineal ascendant, the person may be charged not with simple intimidation but with the crime of threat against a lineal ascendant and may be subject to imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 7 million won.

The crime of intimidation is a crime not punishable against the victim's will, meaning that a prosecution cannot be brought if the victim expresses an intention not to seek punishment.

Therefore, if you have been charged through an intimidation complaint, you should bear in mind that a settlement with the victim is very important.

The criminal law attorneys at Daeryun Law Firm comprehensively review the background and the evidence of a case and respond systematically, beginning with whether the alleged offense is established.

From the early statement stage, they provide strategic assistance tailored to the direction of the investigation, thereby reducing unfavorable circumstances.

If you are in a situation that requires a response in connection with an intimidation complaint, please confirm the issues of the case and the response strategy through a 🔗criminal law attorney legal consultation appointment.

Daeryun, the ninth-ranked law firm in the Republic of Korea (based on 2025 National Tax Service value-added tax filings), helps resolve cases through the systematic strategies of legal experts across multiple fields.