"Yoon Seok-yeol Fan Club Accuses Bookstore Owner of Defamation for Installing 'Julie Mural' to Cause Election Defeat by Spreading False Information"

A mural defaming Kim Keon-hee, wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, painted on the exterior wall of a bookstore in Jongno-gu, Seoul. It has since been removed. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The fan club of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, 'Yeoljidae,' has filed a police complaint against Ms. Yeo, the owner of a used bookstore who installed the so-called 'Julie mural' defaming Yoon's wife, Kim Geon-hee, on charges including defamation.

On the 4th, Yeoljidae held a press conference in front of the used bookstore in Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the mural was erected, stating, "The Julie mural severely damages the honor of Kim Geon-hee and the men mentioned in the mural," and announced, "We are filing a complaint against the bookstore building owner who ordered the creation of the Julie mural for defamation and violation of the Public Official Election Act." 'Julie' is a name mentioned as Kim Geon-hee's stage name in the so-called 'Yoon Seok-yeol X-file' and other sources.

They claimed, "The content written on the mural is completely unverified rumor, yet the building owner depicted Kim Geon-hee as having inappropriate relationships with the men listed on the mural, thereby damaging the honor of Kim Geon-hee and the men mentioned on the mural."

They added, "The Julie mural was created to spread false information with the intent to defeat Yoon Seok-yeol, a leading opposition candidate," emphasizing, "This constitutes a violation of the Public Official Election Act."

The mural is known to have been commissioned by Ms. Yeo to an artist around mid-last month. The mural included a painting of a blonde woman’s face reminiscent of Kim Geon-hee, along with phrases such as 'Julie's Men,' '2000 Dr. Amugae, 2005 Chairman Jo, 2006 Prosecutor Pyeong, 2006 Prosecutor Yang, 2007 BM CEO, 2008 Announcer Kim, 2009 Prosecutor Yoon Seobang,' and 'Julie's Dream! The First Lady's Dream!'

Ms. Yeo initially refused to remove the mural, but as the controversy grew, she painted over the phrases in the mural with paint on the 30th of last month. However, as criticism did not subside, she painted over the entire mural with white paint on the 2nd.

Meanwhile, another civic group had previously filed a defamation complaint against Ms. Yeo and others involved in installing the mural.