“Bullying Couple,” Defamation: 35 Million Won Lawsuit… Joo Ho-min Loses First-Instance Case Against Pyeokga [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The webtoon writer Joo Ho-min and his wife lost the first-instance ruling in a defamation damages lawsuit filed against YouTuber Pyeokga, who operates a “cyber recker” channel.

According to a report by Chosun Ilbo on the 27th, the court ruled in favor of the defendant in the damages claim lawsuit that Joo Ho-min and his wife filed against Pyeokga on the 20th. Pyeokga is the operator of a cyber recker channel that deals with issues related to celebrities and public figures for financial gain.

Following the so-called “son’s special education teacher lawsuit incident,” Joo Ho-min and his wife filed a lawsuit last year seeking 35 million won in consolation money and delayed interest, alleging that Pyeokga had damaged their reputation by spreading false information and using insulting expressions through his channel.

The specific statements at issue included claims such as “Joo Ho-min’s wife demanded the replacement of the sex education instructor,” “She contacted her son’s homeroom teacher without regard for weekends or day and night,” and “His wife went to the school with her maternal uncle, shouted loudly, and made a scene demanding his dismissal.” They also alleged that Pyeokga used insulting expressions, calling them “people who do not know gratitude and act arrogantly” and “typical bullying parents.”

However, the court stated, “Even if some of Pyeokga’s remarks differ from the facts or are exaggerated, he introduced the content based on publicly available materials such as newspaper articles and press releases regarding an incident that had become a subject of social interest at the time, and expressed his own opinion.” The court added, “It is difficult to definitively conclude that he posted the video solely with the intent to slander Joo Ho-min and his wife or that he was aware of the falsity of the content.”

The criminal case involving the special education teacher whom Joo Ho-min and his wife sued for child abuse is awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court. The first-instance court suspended the imposition of a 2 million won fine on the special education teacher in February 2024, but the appellate court ruled the teacher not guilty, denying the evidentiary capacity of the recording files on the grounds that Joo Ho-min’s wife had secretly placed a recorder in her child’s clothes, which violated the Act on the Protection of Communications Secrets. Subsequently, the Prosecution Service appealed to the Supreme Court.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original