A writer who posted online claiming that broadcaster and former basketball player Hyun Joo-yeop committed school violence during his school days was acquitted at the first trial.
On the 12th, Judge Park Jeong-hyeon of the Suwon District Court Seongnam Branch, Criminal Division 2 Single-Judge, said A was found not guilty of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (defamation by false information).
Judge Park said, "Based on the evidence submitted by prosecutors, it is difficult to view the content of the post made by the defendant as 'stating false facts,'" and noted, "Therefore, it is insufficient to punish for defamation."
The court also pointed out, "A key witness said in a police interview that there was no assault victimization, but did not appear in court," adding, "It is difficult to trust the statement given to investigators."
Judge Park reserved judgment on whether Hyun Joo-yeop actually used physical violence against a junior. Park explained, "Taken together with various testimonies given in court, there are parts that support the defendant's claim, and conversely there are parts that are hard to verify."
Prosecutors argued that A posted a false article to obtain financial gain, but the court did not accept that, saying, "Judging from the text messages and other evidence, the motive appears to have been revenge for the school violence rather than a demand for money."
In Mar. 2021, A was indicted on charges of defaming Hyun by posting on an online community that "Hyun Joo-yeop committed violence against a school junior in the past." A claimed to be a junior who trained at the same school as Hyun Joo-yeop.
Around the same time, another poster who raised school-violence allegations against Hyun Joo-yeop on the same community and was put on trial for defamation was also acquitted by the Suwon District Court in Feb. last year.