Former Employee of Jang Woo-hyuk’s Agency Acquitted Again in Defamation Case

A former employee of singer Jang Woo-hyuk’s agency who publicly alleged verbal and physical abuse was acquitted again on appeal on the 15th. The court upheld the finding that the alleged assaults were likely to have occurred and that it was difficult to conclude the employee had acted with a purpose to defame.

The Seoul Western District Court’s Criminal Appeals Division 2-1, presided over by Judge Jeong Seong-gyun, dismissed the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal of the former employee, identified by the surname Kim. Kim had been charged with defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act after Jang Woo-hyuk, a former member of first-generation idol group H.O.T., denied the allegations and filed a complaint.

The appeals panel cited the lower court’s assessment that the assault allegations were likely true and that a purpose to defame could not be established. “The panel’s assessment is that there are insufficient grounds to overturn the lower court’s judgment,” it said.

The panel also recognized a public-interest aspect to the disclosures. Given Jang Woo-hyuk’s social standing and influence, it reasoned, making the information known could serve the public interest. The ruling concerned the defamation charge against Kim and did not establish every disclosed allegation as fact.

The case began in 2022 when Kim posted allegations of verbal and physical abuse by Jang Woo-hyuk on an online community. Kim alleged that Jang Woo-hyuk struck the back of their head inside a taxi during an overseas business trip in 2014 and assaulted them at a broadcasting station in 2020.

Jang Woo-hyuk said the allegations were untrue and filed a complaint against Kim, who was subsequently indicted on a charge of damaging the singer’s reputation through false statements. During the investigation, prosecutors accepted the 2014 assault allegation as partly true but determined that the 2020 assault allegation was false and brought the case against Kim.

After reviewing both parties’ statements, the first-trial court found Kim’s account more credible than that of Jang Woo-hyuk, who occupied a comparatively superior position. It acquitted Kim. The appeals panel, having considered Kim’s statements and the circumstances of the case, found no grounds sufficient to reverse that assessment.

At the final hearing of the appeal last month, prosecutors requested the same sentence they had sought at the first trial. Kim’s representatives argued that the original acquittal was justified and asked the court to dismiss the prosecution’s appeal.

In a final statement, Kim said, “I came forward to prevent this from happening again and to stop anyone else from becoming a victim,” adding, “I hope the case is resolved well so I can return to a peaceful life.” Kim maintained that the disclosures were intended to prevent similar harm rather than to disparage Jang Woo-hyuk personally.

The appeal ruling brings renewed attention to how courts assess the credibility of allegations, the purpose of online disclosures and the public interest when claims involving influential figures such as entertainers lead to defamation proceedings. With Kim acquitted at both stages despite Jang Woo-hyuk’s denial and legal action, the dispute has entered a new phase. Central to the appeals decision were the likelihood that the allegations were true and whether Kim had acted with a purpose to defame.

Read the original (Korean)