"Did Hyunji Kim and [the President] Share a Child?" … Changwon Councilor Mina Kim Referred to Prosecution for Defamation Over SNS Post

Mina Kim, a member of the People Power Party and councilor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, has been referred to the prosecution on charges of defamation for posting content about Hyunji Kim, the First Secretary to the President.

On January 8, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced that Councilor Mina Kim was referred to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (defamation).

Kim Mina, Member of the Changwon Special City Council, Gyeongnam, People Power Party. Photo by Se Ryeong Lee

Previously, in October of last year, Assemblywoman Kim posted content about President Jaemyung Lee and Hyunji Kim, the First Secretary to the President, on her social media.

The post included the following: "Doesn't it seem like Hyunji Kim and [the President] are an economic community? Otherwise, could such an economic relationship spanning decades be possible without something special? For example, unless they share a child? Don't you think so?"

A social media post by Mina Kim, a member of the Changwon Special City Council in Gyeongnam representing the People Power Party. Screenshot from social media.

At the time, the Gyeongnam Provincial Chapter of the Democratic Party and the Changwon City Council members filed a complaint with the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency against Assemblywoman Kim, accusing her of defamation by spreading false information.