A verdict ordered the reporters who ran a daily newspaper story claiming that Theborn Korea asked about the identity of a whistleblower who accused the company of violating the Building Act to pay 30 million won in damages to CEO Paik Jong-won and Theborn Korea, ruling the report was false.
According to legal sources on the 22nd, on the 11th, Presiding Judge Kim Chang-hyeon of the Seoul Southern District Court Civil Division 21 ruled partly in favor of the plaintiffs in a damages suit filed by CEO Paik and Theborn Korea against two reporters, including a reporter identified as A at a daily newspaper, saying, "A and the others shall jointly pay 20 million won to Theborn Korea and 10 million won to CEO Paik."
In a February story about Theborn Korea's alleged violations of the Building Act, A and others wrote, "Theborn Korea was found to have asked police about the identity of the whistleblower who made a public-interest report, revealing 'pathetic' corporate ethics." Three hours later, this was revised to, "It was found that Theborn Korea filed an information disclosure request with the police about the report's contents, revealing 'pathetic' corporate ethics."
Two weeks later, at Theborn Korea's request, a rebuttal was published stating, "In order to verify the contents of the civil complaint, we requested disclosure of information by specifying the parts corresponding to the alleged facts in the complaint in accordance with the procedure guided by the responsible official, and this is merely a routine and general procedure accompanying a response to a police investigation."
CEO Paik and Theborn Korea filed a damages suit against the two reporters, saying the report defamed them. A and the others countered that they reported based on a whistleblower's tip.
The court found that A and the others specified false facts and defamed CEO Paik and Theborn Korea. Judge Kim said, "The article categorically stated that they 'revealed pathetic corporate ethics,' and, after the article, many negative comments such as 'pathetic' were posted on online communities," adding, "By reporting false facts, the social evaluation of Theborn Korea was infringed, causing non-pecuniary damage."
The judge added, "As a television personality, CEO Paik likely suffered emotional distress because the article mixed expressions such as 'Theborn Korea Paik Jong-won' and 'Theborn Korea operated by Paik Jong-won.'"
Judge Kim, however, said, "Given CEO Paik's public recognition, the article appears to have been written to serve the public's right to know on a matter of considerable social interest," adding, "The amount of damages was determined in consideration of the content and expressions used in the article and the degree of effort A and the others made to verify the facts."