Former Agency Employee Acquitted Again on Appeal in 'Jang Woohyuk Defamation' Case

Prosecution's appeal dismissed... Lower court's acquittal upheld
"It was not proven that the assault allegations were false"

A former employee of the agency representing singer Jang Woohyuk, formerly of the group H.O.T., was acquitted again at the appeals trial after being indicted on defamation charges for alleging that Jang had assaulted them.

Singer Jang Woohyuk. Yonhap News

On the 15th, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Appeals Division 2-1, presided over by Judge Jeong Seonggyun, upheld the lower court's acquittal of A, who had been indicted on charges of defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and dismissed the prosecution's appeal.

The court ruled, "It is difficult to conclude that it has been clearly proven that the allegations of assault were false," adding, "Even considering statements and testimony from a trainee involved in a related case that the prosecution submitted as additional evidence, there are no grounds to overturn the lower court's ruling." It also said, "As for the charge of defamation by stating facts, the disclosure also served the public interest rather than being intended to vilify Jang."

A had earlier been indicted on charges of damaging Jang's reputation by posting on an online community in 2022 that Jang had verbally abused and assaulted them. A claimed that Jang struck them on the back of the head in a taxi during an overseas business trip in 2014 and assaulted them again in a broadcasting station's waiting room in 2020.

The prosecution found that some of the 2014 assault allegation was true but deemed the claim of an assault in 2020 false, and indicted A in May 2023. The trial court acquitted A, ruling, "A's statements are more credible than Jang's, given Jang's superior position."

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