Recently, three South Koreans wanted under an Interpol red notice were arrested in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and their arrest photos have become a topic of discussion in local media.
The images show the suspects smiling, prompting mocking reactions such as, "They are smiling brightly even after being arrested," and, "It seems they enjoy taking pictures, creating beautiful memories." Others speculated, "Perhaps they see Vietnam as an easy target, influenced by American movies or Korean dramas."
In South Korea, the personal information of suspects cannot be disclosed solely based on criminal allegations. However, in Vietnam, faces can be revealed under the premise of public interest, which has drawn additional attention to this case.
Vietnamese law protects individual portrait rights. Article 32 of the Civil Code states that individuals have rights over their own likeness and generally cannot have their image used without consent.
However, exceptions exist. Images can be used without consent for national, ethnic, or public interest purposes. This raises important questions about how far the media can go in disclosing images of suspects or defendants in crime reporting.
Legal experts in Vietnam have interpreted that reporting related to public trials or crime prevention can be seen as activities with public interest.
Nonetheless, the presumption of innocence remains intact in Vietnam. Article 13 of the Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that a defendant must be presumed innocent until a court verdict confirms guilt.
The issue of media coverage of public trials and the photographing of defendants has sparked controversy in Vietnam multiple times. In 2018, during the trial of former executives of the Navi Bank in Ho Chi Minh City, the defense team requested that journalists be restricted from photographing the defendants, but the court explained that it could not prevent media coverage due to the public trial nature.
In South Korea, there is a system for disclosing the faces of criminal suspects, but the criteria and procedures are limited. For serious crimes such as murder or sexual violence, the decision to disclose personal information is made after considering factors like the brutality of the crime, the severity of the victim's situation, sufficient evidence, and the public's right to know.
The police review committee assesses whether to disclose personal information, and the presumption of innocence applies until a final verdict is reached.
In this context, Vietnam's practices regarding crime reporting differ from South Korea's stricter standards on disclosing suspect identities.
The three individuals are accused of committing online fraud by impersonating prosecutors or officials in South Korea, calling victims, and presenting fake arrest warrants or case documents to lure them into accessing specific links.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department transferred the suspects to South Korean authorities at Tan Son Nhat International Airport after their arrest. They were all subject to an Interpol red notice at the request of South Korean police.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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