Former Prosecutor Shin Sung-sik and KBS reporter acquitted in first trial over 'Han Dong-hoon media-prosecution collusion' false report

Court rules: "Content appears partially false... but cannot confirm awareness of falsehood or intent to defame"

Former Institute of Justice Research Commissioner Shin Sung-sik [Photo by Kim Da-hye]

Former Institute of Justice research commissioner Shin Sung-sik (59, Judicial Research and Training Institute 27th class) has been acquitted in the first trial on charges of defaming former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon by providing tips for a KBS report on alleged 'prosecution-media collusion.' The court concluded that while parts of the information appeared to be false, there was no evidence that the defendant was aware of the falsehood or had malicious intent.

On the 27th, Presiding Judge Han Jeong-seok of the Seoul Southern District Court’s 3rd Criminal Division acquitted former Prosecutor Shin and KBS reporter Lee (51), who had been indicted on charges of defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and defamation by publication.

Judge Han stated, "While some of the content shared by former Prosecutor Shin with the KBS legal affairs team appears to be false, it does not appear he was aware that it was false, nor is it possible to establish an intent to defame."

The judge added, "There is room to believe that his memory of the transcript in question was mixed with memories of other transcripts," noting that "it is difficult to find a motive for him to tell a lie that could be so easily debunked."

Immediately following the trial, former Prosecutor Shin briefly told reporters, "I thank the court for their wise judgment."

Former Prosecutor Shin was indicted on charges of providing KBS reporters with false information in July 2020, while serving as the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, regarding the alleged collusion between former representative Han and former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae.

At the time, based on what they heard from Shin, KBS reported that they had obtained a transcript indicating that reporter Lee and former representative Han had conspired to raise allegations of former Rhyu Si-min's involvement in stock manipulation related to SillaJen. After reporter Lee released the original transcript, KBS admitted to the error and issued an apology just one day after the report.

The Ministry of Justice decided on the highest level of disciplinary action, dismissal, for former Prosecutor Shin last February, but Shin has filed an administrative lawsuit challenging the decision.