Cheong Wa Dae (Korea’s Office of the President) has been instrumental in the filing of 13 lawsuits against media sources. Six cases are still pending including cases against reporters/media from: Hankyoreh (Korean Liberal-leaning newspaper); Segye Ilbo (Korean Conservative-leaning newspaper); Chosun Ilbo (Korean Conservative-leaning newspaper); Sankei Shimbun (Japanese Conservative-leaning newspaper); CBS News; and A Sisa.
The majority of the cases were filed by officials at Cheong Wa Dae or by a conservative civil group that supports President Park Geun-hye.
Reporters, corporate PR departments and bloggers please be aware that, in most cases, the truth, in Korea, is not a defense to a criminal or civil defamation charge.
In these changing times, in Korea, it is best to consult with an attorney concerning any news you intend to report on concerning issues that Cheong Wa Dae considers vital. Please obtain an attorney with significant experience in Constitutional Law and litigation. Your corporate attorney may not be the best choice.
___
Sean Hayes may be contacted at: [email protected]
Sean Hayes is co-chair of the Korea Practice Team at IPG Legal. He is the first non-Korean attorney to have worked for the Korean court system (Constitutional Court of Korea) and one of the first non-Koreans to be a regular member of a Korean law faculty. Sean is ranked, for Korea, as one of only two non-Korean lawyers as a Top Attorney by AsiaLaw.
Similar Posts:
- The Korean Law Blog cited by the Washington Post on the Freedom of the Press in Korea
- Constitutional Crisis in the Making in Korea
- Opposition to Justice Lee Dong-Hup to lead the Constitutional Court is Ridiculous Liberal Hogwash
- Finally All Criminal Cases to Be Disclosed to Public in Korea
- Not So Free Speech over the Internet in Korea?
- Should UPP be Banned in Korea? Korea Government Files to Court to deregister Pro-North Party
- Enforcement Decrees are Becoming more Common in South Korea
- Selection of Justices at the Constitutional Court Fundamentally Flawed?
- Korea’s President Lee to Pardon Cronies and “Too Big to Fail” Companies
- Defamation Law Under Korean Law