'First-instance acquittal' former female employee Jang Woo-hyeok "Exposed assault? For the public good" speaks out [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

A company employee, identified as A, who revealed that she was subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault by singer Jang Woo-hyeok, a member of the first-generation idol group H.O.T., has again pleaded not guilty after being referred to trial for defamation.

On the 10th, the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Appeal Division 2-1 held a closing session for the appeal trial against A, who was prosecuted on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.

On that day, the Prosecution Service requested that A be sentenced to the same penalty as in the first instance, while A's side stated that the first-instance acquittal was appropriate and asked for the Prosecution Service's appeal to be dismissed.

In her final statement, A said, "I wrote the post with a public interest goal of hoping no further victims will emerge," and added, "I want the case to be resolved well so I can return to my ordinary life as before."

The verdict in A's appeal trial is scheduled for October 15.

A claimed on June 10, 2022, via an online community that she had been assaulted twice by Jang Woo-hyeok.

At the time, A stated, "In early 2014, while traveling in a taxi with Jang Woo-hyeok at a business trip location overseas, he suddenly punched me on the back of my head with his gloved hand." She continued, "Later, before a performance in 2020, he hit my hand as I was plugging in the microphone and said 'Oh no.' Although I had often been subjected to verbal abuse and personal insults from (Jang Woo-hyeok) in the past, I thought it was something I naturally had to endure. Since working through it was my own decision, I considered everything my fault. Some people even told me that because I am a woman, (Jang Woo-hyeok) probably didn't hit me as much."

In response, Jang Woo-hyeok called the claims "baseless" and filed a defamation complaint against A. During the police investigation, Jang Woo-hyeok stated, "Actually, I was the one assaulted at the broadcasting station in 2020," adding, "I was organizing my microphone and other equipment strapped to my waist ahead of a performance when visibility was poor and I needed someone's help. At that time, A was nearby but did not assist; she only watched from behind. When I asked for help, A approached me and hit my hand with her right hand so hard it made a 'thwack' sound."

The Prosecution Service acknowledged as true the content that A was assaulted and verbally abused at the business trip location but determined the claim of being assaulted at the broadcasting station in 2020 to be false, leading to A's prosecution in May 2023.

Subsequently, the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Single Judge Division 9, which handled the first-instance trial, acquitted A.

The court ruled that Jang Woo-hyeok's testimony lacked credibility, stating, "Although Jang Woo-hyeok claimed he was hit so hard it made 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 Woo-hyeok merely sent a text message criticizing A for her slow response. No disciplinary action or warning against A was taken at all."

The court further noted, "Considering the relationship between the company representative and an employee, it is difficult to conclude that A assaulted Jang Woo-hyeok without any reason. Rather, it is more natural that Jang Woo-hyeok, who held a superior position, lost his temper and struck A." The court pointed out, "Jang Woo-hyeok gave inconsistent testimony regarding the location of the incident and the presence of bystanders (witnesses). Such inconsistencies in his attitude and content of testimony are difficult to attribute to mere memory errors; there is room to believe they stem from an intent 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 were fabricated with the purpose of defaming Jang Woo-hyeok, there would be a high probability that the degree and description of the assault would have been depicted dramatically. 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.