Jung Jun-young's 'Hwanggeum Phone' Informant Reward: Unfair Receipt of 50 Million Won?

"'Burning Sun Incident' Public Interest Report Is a Mere Formality"
Lawyer Kim So-yeon "Accuses Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption Commission"

Claims have emerged that the reward money paid by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission to a private forensic expert who restored the contents of singer Jung Joon-young's mobile phone and made a public interest report was unjustly granted. Jung Joon-young was sentenced to prison for group sexual assault and other charges.

On the 23rd, Kim So-yeon, lawyer and head of the People Power Party's Daejeon Yuseong district committee, made these remarks during a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office, citing the reward payment details obtained from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission by the office of People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom.

Singer Jung Joon-young, who is accused of illegally filming and distributing sexual intercourse videos, arrives at the Metropolitan Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and greets before moving to the interrogation room. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Forensic expert A provided the restored data from Jung Joon-young's smartphone in 2021 and received a reward of 50 million won for a public interest report related to violations of the Information and Communications Network Act and other laws.

Regarding this, lawyer Kim stated, "The Burning Sun incident was already publicly disclosed by the media, so A's public interest report was a mere formality," and questioned, "How can facts already revealed through the media qualify as a public interest report?" She added, "Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission unusually completed the review in a short period and designated A as a public interest reporter and provided protective measures," further stating, "They designated a person who provided illegal materials as a public interest reporter."

Lawyer Kim also said, "A reported violations of the Information and Communications Network Act, but those involved in this case were punished for charges such as prostitution," and explained, "Originally, sexual crimes were not included as public interest infringements, but after the passage of the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act amendment proposed by (Democratic Party) lawmaker Ahn Min-seok, A was able to receive the reward."

Lawyer Kim declared, "A conspired with Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee to receive the reward," and stated, "We will file a complaint against Chairperson Jeon with the prosecution."