Supreme Court Rejects Re-Appeal Against Restraining Order on The Tam Sa Reporter Who Followed Han Dong-hoon

Gang Jin-gu, a reporter (third from the left) of 'Citizen Media The Tam Sa' who was accused of stalking Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, along with a PD and other related personnel, held a press conference on the afternoon of November 4 before appearing for suspect questioning at Suseo Police Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The Supreme Court has finalized a restraining order issued under the Stalking Punishment Act against a reporter from the YouTube channel ‘The TamSa,’ who secretly followed Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon during his commute for a month.

The Supreme Court’s 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Noh Jung-hee) announced on the 30th that it dismissed the rehearing petition filed by reporter A from The TamSa, who was accused of violating the Stalking Punishment Act and had been subject to a provisional restraining order by the police prohibiting approach within 100 meters.

A is accused of stalking Minister Han from the National Assembly main building to his residence for about a month starting in August this year, including lingering around the minister’s home. In response, Minister Han’s aide B requested a provisional restraining order from the police.

Police investigations confirmed that A followed the official vehicle returning to Minister Han’s residence after official schedules or during early morning hours. Ultimately, the police accepted B’s request and petitioned the court to impose a provisional restraining order prohibiting A from approaching within 100 meters.

The trial court issued the provisional order in October, commanding A not to approach within 100 meters of Minister Han’s residence until the 30th of this month. The court also ordered A not to contact Minister Han via his mobile phone.

However, A filed an appeal against this decision, but the appellate court dismissed the appeal on October 20. A then filed a rehearing petition with the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts’ provisional restraining order decisions and dismissed the rehearing petition.