A former employee who posted a false review on the website of a clinic in Gwangju has been sentenced to prison. The court determined that this was a serious act that significantly undermined patient trust in the hospital.
On October 23, Chief Judge Jang Chansu of the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 3 announced that a woman in her 30s, referred to as A, had been sentenced to four months in prison on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and obstruction of business.
A was accused of posting a false comment on the clinic's website visitor review board in October last year, claiming that the hygiene and patient service were poor. She had previously worked at the hospital, but resigned in August of the same year after conflicts with her employer over salary increases and overtime pay.
During the trial, A argued that her actions were intended to guarantee patients' right to know and therefore were not illegal, but the court did not accept this argument.
In its ruling, the court stated, "This offense could seriously undermine the general trust of patients in the victim, and the degree of the false information disclosed is significant," explaining the reason for the sentence.
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