Former Prosecutor General Kim Sunam Loses Defamation Suit Against Park Sooyoung Over '50 Billion Club' Remarks

Court: "Immunity Applies... There Is a Public Interest Purpose"

Former Prosecutor General Kim Su-nam lost the first trial in a damages lawsuit he filed against Park Soo-young, a member of the People Power Party, who raised allegations of the so-called '50 Billion Club'.

Former Prosecutor General Kim Su-nam.

The Civil Division 41 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il) ruled on the 8th that the plaintiff lost in the lawsuit seeking damages worth 500 million won filed by former Prosecutor General Kim against Assemblyman Park.

The court stated, "Assemblyman Park's remarks fall under parliamentary immunity and are recognized as serving the public interest." However, the court did not make a judgment on the truthfulness of Park's statements.

In October 2021, during the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee audit, Assemblyman Park claimed that the list of the 50 Billion Club included former Prosecutor General Kim, former People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Sang-do, and former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il, among others.

In response, former Prosecutor General Kim's side completely denied the allegations, stating that Assemblyman Park spread false information which damaged his reputation, and filed a damages lawsuit seeking 500 million won. Kim's side argued, "Apart from a legitimate legal advisory contract, there was no receipt or promise of money or benefits," and added, "Statements were made as if money or benefits had been received or promised, severely damaging my honor."

Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea pushed for the so-called 'Double Special Prosecutor Act,' which bundled the investigation of the stock manipulation allegations involving Kim Gun-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and the Deutsche Motors case, to clarify this incident. The bill passed the plenary session of the National Assembly but President Yoon exercised his veto on the 5th of last month.