Huang Hee-seok, a former senior member of the Open Democratic Party, was fined 10 million won for defaming Lee Dong-jae, a former Channel A reporter, in connection with the so-called 'Channel A case.' On November 6, the Seoul Eastern District Court's 5th Criminal Division, presided over by Judge Kim Yang-hoon, upheld the original ruling, rejecting appeals from both the defendant and the prosecution.
The court stated, "The defendant was aware that the statements made were false or acted with intent to convey false information," adding that there was no legal error in the original ruling.
The court also dismissed claims from both sides regarding the severity of the sentence, explaining that the original sentence was not excessively harsh or lenient.
Huang is accused of stating during an April 2020 appearance on YTN Radio that a whistleblower in the Channel A case had met with Lee, claiming, "It is a clear fact that a Channel A reporter demanded false testimony and threatened Lee Cheol, the former CEO of Value Investment Korea (VIK), with serious consequences if he did not comply." He reportedly made similar statements on YouTube channels such as 'Jung Bong-joo TV' and 'Kim Yong-min TV.'
In May, the first trial court found Huang guilty and imposed a fine of 10 million won. Both Huang and the prosecution appealed the decision.
During the appeal, Huang's defense argued that he spoke based on information available at the time and did not fabricate any facts.
Conversely, the prosecution sought a one-year prison sentence during the closing arguments last month, asserting that Huang's statements implied that the victim, a journalist, had violated ethical standards and engaged in illegal activities, which significantly harmed the victim's social reputation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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