Journalist Indicted for Providing Investigation Subjects’ Personal Information to Colleagues
A police officer and a prosecution investigator have been indicted for leaking investigation information regarding actor Lee Seongyun (48), who died while under investigation for alleged drug use.
On June 5, the Criminal Division 6 of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Jongpil) announced that it had indicted, without detention, a police officer in his 30s from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency (referred to as A) and a prosecution investigator in his 40s from the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office (referred to as B) on charges including official secrets leakage.
Additionally, a journalist in his 30s (referred to as C), who received personal information such as the real names of investigation subjects from A and provided it to another reporter, has also been indicted on charges of violating the Personal Information Protection Act.
A is accused of leaking investigation materials, including a progress report on Lee's drug allegations, by photographing and sending the documents to two journalists in October 2023.
The leaked report was prepared by the Drug Crime Investigation Division of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on October 18, 2023, and contained the names, criminal records, identities, and occupations of those involved in Lee's drug case. An entertainment media outlet that received this material reported the original photo and contents of the report on December 28, 2023, the day after Lee's death.
B is accused of informing a local newspaper reporter about the fact that Lee was under police investigation for drug charges, as well as providing ongoing updates. The newspaper published an exclusive article titled "Top Star L Under Internal Investigation for Drug Charges" on October 19, 2023.
The prosecution stated that although three journalists who received information about the investigation subjects from A, B, and C were investigated, they were not indicted because there was no evidence of 'improper intent' required to establish a violation of the Personal Information Protection Act.
Actor Lee was booked as a criminal suspect on October 14, 2023, and was summoned by the police three times over the course of two months. He was found dead near Waryong Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on December 26, four days after his third investigation.
A prosecution official stated, "We will respond strictly to violations of public officials' confidentiality obligations and indiscriminate leakage or provision of personal information, in order to protect the rights and interests of citizens."
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