Cleared of Charges in Alleged Civil Complaint Incitement
Whistleblower Identification Referred for Conflict of Interest
The police have referred a whistleblower, who reported former Korea Communications Standards Commission Chairman Ryu Heelim's alleged "encouragement of civil complaints" to the media, to the prosecution on charges of leaking personal information.
On September 25 last year, at the 'Ryu Heerim Broadcast Commission Chairman's Complaint Solicitation Whistleblower Public Press Conference' held at the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, a Broadcast Commission employee who filed a public interest report to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in December last year regarding Chairman Ryu's 'complaint solicitation' allegations is speaking. Photo by Yonhap News
The Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 29th that former KCSC team leader Tak Dongsam, KCSC labor union secretary-general Ji Kyungkyu, and KCSC employee A have been referred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges including violations of the Personal Information Protection Act.
Former team leader Tak and secretary-general Ji are accused of leaking personal information by reporting Ryu's alleged encouragement of civil complaints to the media. Ji and employee A also face charges of violating the Information and Communications Network Act. Previously, Tak and Ji had reported Ryu's alleged encouragement of civil complaints to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on December 23, 2023.
Ryu Heelim has been suspected of instructing his family and acquaintances in September 2023 to file civil complaints with the KCSC, requesting a review of reports that cited Newstapa's "Kim Manbae-Shin Hakrim false interview." The police concluded there was "no evidence to establish a causal relationship between the alleged encouragement and the review actions" and cleared Ryu of charges. However, regarding Ryu's attempt to identify the whistleblower, he was referred to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on July 21 on suspicion of violating the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act.
Lee Hochan, chairman of the National Union of Mediaworkers, held a press conference in front of Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul on this day, condemning the decision to clear Ryu of charges. He stated, "Yangcheon Police Station did not conduct any compulsory investigation related to Ryu Heelim," and criticized, "The prosecution's three refusals to grant search and seizure warrants requested by the police for Ryu stand in stark contrast to the thorough investigation that searched the mobile phones and homes of KCSC office staff."
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