If convicted, US YouTuber Johnny Somali likely to be deported, face reentry ban: legal expert
An American YouTuber known as Johnny Somali, who is currently on trial for offensive behavior, could be deported and banned from reentering South Korea if convicted, a local lawyer said.
The 24-year-old whose real name is Ramsey Khalid Ismael faces three charges, which include obstruction of business and violations of the Minor Offenses Act. He is not physically detained, although he is banned from leaving the country.
Kim Ju-hyeong, a senior attorney at the law firm Majung, who specializes in immigration and industrial accident law, said if he is found guilty of any of the charges, the local immigration office will likely demand he leave the country.
'Foreigners are ordered to leave the country, either voluntarily or forcibly, if their criminal actions result in a fine of more than 3 million won ($2,058). Considering the multiple charges against Ismael and the serious nature of his offenses, it is very unlikely that he will receive a lighter penalty than this," he said.
At his first trial hearing on March 7, Ismael admitted to all charges.
The charges stem from his creating a commotion at a convenience store in Seoul's Mapo-gu in October 2024 by playing loud music and spilling cup ramyeon. In the same month, he also allegedly disturbed pedestrians on the streets and public transport with a stinky bag of fish and loud music.
Additionally, his video showing him kissing a "comfort woman" statue, which represents victims of wartime sexual slavery in Korea, sparked widespread anger among South Koreans.
Kim explained that if the court imposes a prison sentence on Ismael, he would have to serve his term in a local prison. After completing his time, he would then have to leave the country and be detained in an immigration detention center until his departure.
A prison term with a suspended sentence would also be followed by either a departure order or deportation order, depending on the discretion of the immigration authorities, the lawyer explained.
While a departure order typically allows an individual to leave the country voluntarily without detention, forced deportation — reserved for more serious offenses — entails being held in a shelter to prevent escape before being sent back to their home country. The immigration office determines which action to take based on the severity of each case.
'Foreigners who are subject to a departure or deportation order due to illegal actions are typically prohibited from entering the country for a certain period, depending on the nature and severity of their offenses," the attorney added.
Entry bans typically last up to five years for those forcefully deported, but can be extended to 10 years or made permanent for more serious offenses. Foreign violators under a departure order often have their visa applications denied even after this period.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
44 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
Lee Byung-hun teases 'Squid Game' final season, leaves door open for spin-off on Jimmy Fallon show
Actor Lee Byung-hun hinted at the possibility of a spin-off centered on his character, the Front Man, appearing on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to promote the third and final season of "Squid Game." "I am not sure about that, but there is a possibility," Lee said on the show that aired Wednesday. "We never know what will happen." Speaking about the series' global popularity, he recalled being stunned by the passionate reaction from American fans to Netflix's Korean original. "It is a Korean story made by a Korean director with Korean actors and in the Korean language, so when I first came to LA and New York for promotion, I was so shocked by the fans' reaction," he said. "I was so grateful and proud of it." Then he shared his initial mixed expectations for the series upon reading the script. "It was a very, very interesting story with a very unique structure, but at the same time, it was too experimental. So I thought either it's gonna be a huge hit or a complete flop," he said. Discussing his character, Lee recounted his family's reaction to the secrecy surrounding his role, whose identity remained hidden behind a full face mask. "After the show opened, my mom called me and yelled at me. She went like, 'How could you not tell me that?" he said, drawing laughter from the audience. During the show, Fallon gave Lee "O" and "X" buttons to answer questions about the upcoming season. While he confirmed that more about the Front Man's true identity will be revealed in the final season, he remained ambiguous on other questions, such as whether he'd participate in the games again, if someone new would run them or if old games would return, by pressing both buttons simultaneously. The final season is set to premiere June 27. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut to return to Coney Island hotdog eating contest after contract dispute
Competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut announced Monday he will return to compete in this year's Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after skipping last year's gastronomic battle for the coveted Mustard Belt. "This event means the world to me," Chestnut, 41, said in a message posted on X. "It's a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life." It will mark the 20th appearance for the Indiana eater at the Coney Island contest. Last year, Major League Eating event organizer George Shea said Chestnut, who has won the 10-minute eat-a-thon 16 times, would not be participating due to a contract dispute. Chestnut had struck a deal with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. In a phone interview Monday, the competitive eater made it clear he never appeared in any commercials for the company's vegan hot dogs and that Nathan's is the only hot dog company he has worked with. But Chestnut acknowledged he "should have made that more clear with Nathan's." "There was a little bit of communication that we could have improved on last year," he said. "And I, yeah, I think we figured it out. It took a little bit of finessing." Chestnut is still working with Impossible Foods and said "clarifications" have been made to his respective contracts. Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, said he did not want to rehash what happened last year because he found it "dispiriting," but said he's happy "everything is resolved" now. "I think it's the return of the greatest competitive eater of all time to the biggest competitive eating event of all time. So I don't think it gets much bigger in any sport," Shea said. "I mean, this guy is the greatest performer we've ever seen in Coney Island and in competitive eating." Chestnut said he heard from fans over the past year who wanted him to return to the Coney Island event, which is broadcast live on ESPN and even shown overseas. Last year, he opted to compete against soldiers in Fort Bliss, in El Paso, Texas, in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest. Back in New York, Patrick Bertoletti gobbled up 58 hot dogs to win his first men's title while defending champion Miki Sudo won her 10th title in the women's division, downing a record 51 links. Chestnut holds the world record of eating 76 hot dogs. "Over the last year, I ran into a lot of people who said that it wasn't the same without me. And I told many people that I was going to work really hard to make sure I got back there," Chestnut said. "And I'm really happy that Nathan's and Major League Eating, we were able all to figure it out." Chestnut said he been prepping for the big event and has a couple practice sessions left before the July Fourth holiday. "My body's in tune right now," he said, explaining how he has to build tolerance for consuming so many hot dogs and "get all those muscles used to working together." He likened the process to boxer getting in practice rounds before a big fight. Chestnut made it clear his business relationship with Impossible Foods does not mean he has become a vegan, an assumption he said some fans made last year. Chestnut said he was surprised by the "weird blowback" he received about it, explaining he eats a plant-based diet during his recovery from competitive eating events. "I love meat. I'm going to continue to eat meat. But when I recover from a contest, I have to eat super clean in order to get my body to try to get back to normal," he said. "I can't eat pounds of meat every day." (AP)
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
How light is revealed: James Turrell, Salvo visit Seoul
At Pace Gallery, Turrell reveals light itself through space; at Gladstone, Salvo captures it in paintings inspired by his travels American light master James Turrell is familiar to Korean audiences through his monumental installations at Museum San in Wonju, Gangwon Province, where five of his works, created solely with light and space, offer a meditative experience. The exhibition 'The Return,' at Pace Gallery in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, shows Turrell's five recent installations, including the never-before-seen piece 'Wedgework,' made specifically for the Seoul exhibition. Turrell's exhibition, which runs through Sept. 27, is his first solo show in Seoul since 2008. 'I really wanted people to treasure light. I had hoped to try to use light itself rather than the depiction of it. We are creatures that very much respond to light, and for me, that is where the power of light resides,' Turrell told reporters Wednesday. Spanning three floors of the gallery, the exhibition features a selection of photographs and works on paper that shed light on the artist's process for his installations. Working with the materiality of light and space, Turrell is a key member of the California Light and Space Movement initiated in the 1960s. 'In the end, I am an artist and I want to pass to you a piece of light. I would like to give you this experience of light itself. Not every piece is as successful as another piece. This is how life is … I have to tell you that art has always dealt with things beyond how we normally think of something," Turrell said. Arne Glimcher, Pace's founder and chairman, first met Turrell some 60 years ago, and the gallery has represented the artist since 2002. An online reservation is required to visit the exhibition as the gallery admits only 20 people to each session to prevent congestion. Another exhibition featuring light effects unfolds at Gladstone Gallery in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. Italian artist Salvo enjoyed using light effects in his works, some of which evoke sunsets or sunrises, as in the paintings 'Tre Colonne' and 'Forte dei Marmi.' At Gladstone, the exhibition 'Salvo, in Viaggio (Salvo Traveling)' is the Italian master's first solo show in the country. 'It is the first show of his to discuss the theme of a 'journey.' There are many works displayed to the public for the first time as well. I hope many who visit the show can enjoy their time traveling into the unique world of Salvo,' said Norma Mangione, co-founder of Archivio Salvo, at the press opening on May 29. The exhibition spans from 1988 to 2015, the year the artist died. The paintings depict both real and imagined landscapes inspired by the artist's travels across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia, featuring Salvo's visual aesthetic, characterized by expressive landscapes in vivid color. Beginning with his first trip to Afghanistan in the summer of 1969, Salvo's frequent journeys became a recurring source of inspiration. His paintings depict scenes from areas he lived in or visited, incorporating regional architectural motifs and native plant species, according to the gallery. The exhibition runs through July 12.
