Earlier in February this year, girl group ITZY’s member, Lia, was accused of being a school bully. This accusation was quickly denied by ITZY’s agency, JYP Entertainment. In the response, the agency also promised to take legal actions against those who allegedly defamed their artists.

On June 13, the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station revealed that they will not be going forward with the defamation accusations under Information and Communication Network Promotion and Information Protection Act against the alleged victim of Lia’s bullying acts, hereafter mentioned as A.

A earlier accused Lia of borrowing money and not paying back, as well as bullying her friend without any reason. When A stood up for her friend by asking Lia why she was bullying her, she was also subjected to the trauma of constant abuse and swearing by her.

After investigations on A, the police concluded that it will be difficult to charge A for defamation as there are no clear evidence to prove A falsely wrote the article, or A wrote it with the purpose of slander.

In regards to this, A told Yonhap News that it is still mentally difficult to think about that time, “I want a sincere apology.”