Lee Dong-jae, a former Channel A reporter identified as a key suspect in the 'alleged collusion between prosecutors and media,' is attending the warrant hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 17th. The reporter is accused of threatening Lee Cheol, former CEO of Value Invest Korea (VIK), during his investigation of the 'Shinrajen scandal,' saying that he could face criminal disadvantages if he did not report suspicions of corruption involving Yoo Si-min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Former Channel A reporter Dongjae Lee, who was tried on charges of attempted coercion related to the so-called 'media-prosecution collusion' allegations, was acquitted in the first trial. The prosecution has begun reviewing an appeal.
On the 16th, Judge Hong Changwoo of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced former reporter Lee to not guilty on charges of attempted coercion. Junior reporter Baek, who was also tried together, was likewise acquitted. This comes about one year and four months after the related allegations surfaced in March last year.
Former reporter Lee is accused of sending five letters to former Value Invest Korea (VIK) CEO Cheol Lee, a major shareholder of SillaJen, mentioning the possibility of investigations into his family and coercing him to report misconduct by Yusim Min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, but failing to succeed.
He is also accused of meeting three times with Cheol Lee’s proxy Ji to demand reporting of Chairman Yusim’s misconduct, conducting threatening interviews, and instilling fear in former CEO Lee by implying that failure to report corruption suspicions would lead to additional investigations into his family and other disadvantages.
During the trial, former reporter Lee’s side stated that the investigation was a legitimate journalistic activity for the public interest. They denied the charges, saying there was no threat of specific harm required to constitute coercion. They also argued that the junior reporter’s involvement was minimal and unrelated to the letters.
However, at the sentencing hearing held in May, the prosecution argued, "Mentioning criminal punishment and relations with the prosecution to a detained victim is a clear violation of journalistic ethics," and requested a prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months for former reporter Lee. They requested 10 months imprisonment for the junior reporter.
On this day, the court judged that the content of the letters sent by former reporter Lee to former CEO Cheol Lee and the statements made during meetings with Ji did not constitute coercion. The court explained, "Although former reporter Lee mentioned 'intense investigations into SillaJen,' it is difficult to see that this alone made the victim perceive a specific connection with the prosecution or that it would influence the SillaJen investigation."
However, the court pointed out, "A credible journalist pressured a detained victim out of a desire for an exclusive scoop, mentioned the possibility of family punishment, sought necessary information, and attempted to persuade by mentioning leniency possibilities. This is a clear violation of journalistic ethics and deserves moral condemnation."
Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office issued a statement immediately after the verdict, saying, "We will carefully analyze the judgment and review whether to file an appeal, and respond according to law and principles."
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