"Jang Woo-hyeck, assaulted twice" exposed... 'First-instance acquittal'  Staff to face court again in September

*This content was translated by AI.

A company employee, A, who was accused of defamation after revealing that he suffered verbal abuse and physical assault from singer Jang Woo-hyuk, a member of the first-generation idol group H.O.T., will have his appeal retrial resume in September.

The Seoul Western District Court's 2nd Criminal Division (Appeal) (Na) is scheduled to hold the first appeal trial for A on charges of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation), on September 10.

On June 10, 2022, A claimed that he was assaulted twice by Jang Woo-hyuk at an overseas business trip location via an online community.

At the time, A stated, "In early 2014, while traveling in a taxi with Jang Woo-hyuk at an overseas business trip location, Jang suddenly punched me on the back of my head with his gloved hand." He added, "Later, before a performance in 2020, he slapped my hand as I was attaching a microphone to him and said 'Oh no.' Although I had frequently suffered verbal abuse and personal insults from (Jang Woo-hyuk) in the past, I thought it was something I naturally had to endure. Since continuing to work despite enduring such treatment was my own decision, I blamed myself for everything. Some even told me that because I am a woman, Jang probably didn't hit me as much."

In response, Jang Woo-hyuk called the allegations "baseless" and filed a defamation lawsuit against A. During the police investigation, Jang stated, "Actually, I was the one assaulted at a broadcasting station in 2020." He continued, "I was organizing equipment such as microphones attached to my waist ahead of a performance when visibility was poor, so I needed someone's help. At that time, A was nearby but did not assist and only watched from behind. When I asked for help, A approached me and struck my hand with his right hand hard enough to make a 'thwack' sound."

The Prosecution Service acknowledged as fact that A suffered assault and verbal abuse at the overseas business trip location but determined that the claim of being assaulted at a broadcasting station in 2020 was false, leading to A's indictment in May 2023.

Subsequently, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 9 (single judge), which handled the first-instance trial, acquitted A.

The court ruled that Jang Woo-hyuk's testimony lacked credibility, stating, "Although Jang Woo-hyuk claimed he was hit hard enough to make a 'thwack' sound by A, there is no record whatsoever of him complaining about pain or injuries resulting from the alleged assault. The day after the incident, Jang only sent a text message criticizing A for his delayed response. No disciplinary actions or warnings against A were taken at all."

The court further noted, "Considering the relationship between the company representative and the employee, it is difficult to conclude that A assaulted Jang without any reason. It is more natural to assume that Jang, who was in a superior position, lost his temper and struck A." The court pointed out, "Jang Woo-hyuk made inconsistent statements regarding the location of the incident and the presence of bystanders (witnesses). Such inconsistencies in testimony attitude and content are difficult to attribute merely to memory errors; there is room to suspect they were intended to conceal his own actions and shift blame for the perpetrator."

Regarding A's testimony, the court stated, "It is specific and naturally aligns with the circumstances. If it had been fabricated with the intent to slander Jang Woo-hyuk, it is highly likely that the degree of assault and its description would have been dramatized. It is difficult to conclude that A's allegations of false facts have been proven beyond any reasonable doubt."

Following this, the Prosecution Service appealed against the first-instance verdict.

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*This content was translated by AI.