5·18 Memorial Foundation Sues Sky Daily for Defamation of the Deceased

(From left) Kwangwon Lee, Secretary General of the Gwangju Jeonnam Branch of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, family of the late Sacheon Go, family of the late Miae Choi, Daein Kim, Head of the 5·18 Democracy Movement Truth Investigation Team in Gwangju City, Jinwoo Park, Head of Records and Truth Department at the 5·18 Memorial Foundation. Provided by the 5·18 Memorial Foundation

The editor-in-chief and a reporter of the online media outlet "Sky Daily," which has consistently published reports distorting and disparaging the 5·18 Democracy Movement, have been reported to the police.

On May 1, the 5·18 Memorial Foundation, together with the families of victims, filed a police complaint against the CEO of the internet newspaper Sky Daily and the authors of the articles. The complaint alleges violations of the Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement and defamation of the deceased, due to articles distorting and disparaging the 5·18 Democracy Movement, including claims of North Korean military involvement. They are accused of distorting the circumstances of the deaths of victims Sacheon Go and Miae Choi, and of repeatedly reporting these distortions.

Sky Daily has systematically published distorted reports based on Ji Manwon's claims of "North Korean involvement in 5·18" and testimonies from unidentified martial law troops and North Korean defectors.

The complainants, including the Foundation, stated that Sky Daily has used baseless claims such as the North Korean involvement theory as material for false reports about the bereaved families.

Wonsoon Seok, Chairman of the 5·18 Memorial Foundation, said, "Demanding proof of something that is not true, and demanding proof once again of state violence witnessed by citizens in broad daylight, constitutes a clear secondary harm to the victims and their families. However, Korea's laws and institutions have failed to prevent this. We can no longer delay a thorough investigation, resolute punishment, and fundamental measures such as including the spirit of 5·18 in the preamble of the Constitution."

Meanwhile, Sky Daily is also under police investigation for publishing fake news during the 12·3 Martial Law, claiming that "99 Chinese spies were arrested by the National Election Commission."