Court Sentences Former KTV Director Lee Eun-woo to Suspended Prison Term

Lee Eun-woo, the former director of KTV, was sentenced to a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, after being charged with abuse of power for ordering the removal of broadcast subtitles that criticized the legality of the martial law declared on December 3.

On June 26, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 23, presided over by Judge Oh Se-yong, held a sentencing hearing for Lee, who was accused of instructing staff to delete subtitles that conveyed politicians' statements asserting that the martial law was illegal and unconstitutional.

During the trial, Lee maintained two arguments: that the charges should be dismissed and that he did not abuse his authority. However, the court rejected these claims.

Regarding the dismissal argument, the court stated, "The facts of this case fall under the scope of investigation as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 1, Item 11 of the Special Prosecutor Act, which pertains to cases related to insurrection. Therefore, Lee's argument is unfounded."

On the claim of not abusing his authority, the court noted, "The selective deletion of subtitles that opposed the martial law or pointed out its unconstitutionality misleads the public regarding the martial law. Such directives violate the duties of sincerity and fairness that public officials are obligated to uphold."

The court emphasized that KTV, as a government agency, has a duty to ensure compliance with broadcasting laws. It criticized Lee for directing staff to actively delete critical content during the exceptional circumstances of martial law, stating that this constituted an abuse of authority and was not a minor offense. The court remarked, "The lack of fairness and objectivity in broadcasting has infringed upon the public's right to know."

In mitigation, the court acknowledged KTV's unique status as a government agency compared to other broadcasters, Lee's consistent policy of focusing on government-related information while avoiding politically contentious topics, and the brief duration of the offenses.

Previously, the special prosecutor's team requested a five-year prison sentence, arguing that as the head of programming and a public servant, Lee had a duty to provide fair and balanced information regarding the martial law declaration, which threatened national stability and citizens' fundamental rights.