Handonghun on Yusimin's Guilty Verdict: "Media Calling Them 'Pets' Is as Dangerous as Fake News"

"Victim of Fake News but Opposed to Democratic Party's Media Intimidation Attempts"

Former People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon criticized the media perspective of the Democratic Party of Korea and its leader Lee Jae-myung following the Supreme Court's final ruling on a fine against former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Director Yoo Si-min.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 17th, Han posted on his social media, "Today, the guilty verdict for Yoo Si-min's fake news crime against me was finally confirmed," opening his statement by saying, "In the AI era, agitation through fake news becomes easier, more sophisticated, and spreads better." He added, "Fake news becomes more violent not when the public is unaware but when they desire it, making it even more dangerous in the current divided political situation." He also stated, "There have been many fake news damages I have suffered, including the fake news about the Cheongdam-dong drinking party. Therefore, I understand well how painful it is to be a victim of fake news."

Han said, "Although I am a victim of fake news, I firmly oppose attempts to threaten the media like 'pets' through laws such as the media gag law promoted by the Democratic Party," adding, "The distorted media perspective that calls the media 'pets' is as dangerous as fake news because it threatens democracy." Han's use of the term 'pets' is interpreted as targeting Lee Jae-myung. On the 14th, Lee, while attending a trial on charges including violation of the Public Official Election Act, told reporters, "Instead of reporting the truth, you eagerly distort and manipulate the information given by the prosecution like pets."

Han expressed, "I believe that even in the AI era and despite changes in the world, the role of the media to discern right from wrong and report accurately will not diminish," and said, "We must create fake news prevention policies in the AI era that prevent fake news damage while preserving the essence of media and freedom of expression."

Meanwhile, the case in which Han won final victory at the Supreme Court on this day involved accusations from a civic group against former Director Yoo Si-min related to his remarks on a radio broadcast in April and July 2020. Yoo mentioned the 'Channel A media-prosecution collusion suspicion' report and claimed that Minister Han had surveilled his bank account. The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Noh Jeong-hee) dismissed both the prosecutor's and Yoo's appeals in the defamation case by radio broadcast and upheld the original ruling imposing a fine of 5 million won.