The Democratic Party files complaint over rumors of 'Han Dong-hoon insulting Yoon'... "Intent to incite ruling party conflict"

People Power Party Submits Complaint to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

On the 3rd, the People Power Party filed a complaint against an unidentified person who spread a rumor that Representative Han Dong-hoon cursed and spoke ill of President Yoon Seok-yeol during a party retreat while meeting with reporters.

On the same morning, Joo Jin-woo, the legal advisory committee member of the People Power Party, submitted a complaint to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (Information and Communications Network Act) regarding the rumor.

Committee member Joo stated, "Since there was a malicious intent to incite conflict between the party and the government by fabricating and spreading false facts that never happened at the retreat, we took strong action through criminal charges," adding, "We will continue to respond strongly with consistent principles against fake news and false rumors with malicious intent in the future."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is seen clasping hands and taking a commemorative photo with Han Dong-hoon, the party leader (left), and Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader (right), at the People Power Party's new leadership dinner held on July 24 in front of the Fine Glass at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The rumor included claims that Representative Han referred to President Yoon as 'that XX' during a meeting with reporters covering the People Power Party lawmakers' retreat on the 29th of last month.

It also contained statements that Han said about the 'moment of the star,' a phrase that became famous during President Yoon's presidential campaign period, that "anyone and everyone catches it."

In response, Park Jeong-ha, the secretary to the party leader, stated that when this content spread mainly through a KakaoTalk group chat the previous day, the rumor was false, and that all civil and criminal measures would be taken against the dissemination of false information.