"Colleague Teacher's Affair"... Teacher Posts Defamatory Message on Blue House National Petition

Cheong Wa Dae National Petition and Civil Complaint Proposal (PG) [Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A male elementary school teacher in his 40s who posted a defamatory message on the Blue House National Petition Board claiming that "fellow teachers are committing adultery and violating my human rights" received a reduced sentence in the second trial.

On the 31st, the 1st Criminal Appeal Division of Daegu District Court (Chief Judge Nam Geun-wook) overturned the original sentence of a 5 million won fine and sentenced A (42), who was indicted for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, to a 3 million won fine in the appeal trial.

A, a teacher at an elementary school in Daegu, was prosecuted after posting messages on the Blue House National Petition Board in 2018 stating that "colleagues are committing adultery" and "my human rights are being violated."

At that time, about 24 teachers worked at the school where A was employed, and among them, five fellow teachers whose real names were identified and teacher B, totaling six people, filed complaints against A.

The court stated, "Since no real names or positions that could specifically identify teacher B were mentioned, the criticism directed at the group called 'colleagues' is diluted when it comes to B, and it is reasonable to consider that it did not affect B's individual social evaluation. Therefore, it is difficult to see this as defamation of B by stating false facts."

It added, "Although A's crime was serious and he was not forgiven by the victims, considering that he has no prior criminal record and was disciplined with a three-month salary reduction by the local education support office, the sentence was determined comprehensively."

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