The case in which the reporter who first reported actor Cho Jin-woong's juvenile record was accused has been assigned to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
According to police on the 16th, the anti-corruption investigation unit of the metropolitan investigation division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has taken over and is investigating a case in which two Dispatch reporters were accused of violating the Juvenile Act.
On the 7th, attorney Kim Kyung-ho of Hoein Law Firm submitted a petition through the national complaint portal alleging that two Dispatch reporters violated Article 70 of the Juvenile Act.
Kim said, "If the reporter extracted this prohibited information through a public official or an insider, that is not reporting but a criminal act that illegally pierced the shield protected by law," calling for authorities to determine how the reporter obtained the information.
Article 70 of the Juvenile Act prohibits relevant agencies from responding to inquiries about juvenile cases. Violations are punishable by up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
On the 5th, Dispatch reported that Cho Jin-woong committed crimes as a teenager and received a juvenile protective disposition. Cho Jin-woong said, "There were actions I did wrong when I was a minor," and announced retirement.