Kim Yong-ho Denies Charges at First Trial Over Alleged Support for Actress Jo Guk: "Specific Tips Continue"

Entertainment reporter Kim Yong-ho (45) / Photo by YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Kim Yong-ho (45), a former entertainment reporter who was indicted for making claims through a YouTube broadcast that former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk supported a specific actress, denied the charges at his first trial.

On the 16th, Judge Park Chang-hee of the Seoul Eastern District Court Criminal Division 12 presided over Kim's first trial on charges including violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (defamation).

According to the prosecution, on August 25, 2019, Kim uploaded a video titled "Who is the actress supported by former Minister Cho?" on his YouTube channel 'Kim Yong-ho Entertainment Chief,' broadcasting content implying that "former Minister Cho brought the actress to a meeting where he met other people," leading to his indictment.

He is also charged with stating on September 8 of the same year that "I have sufficiently investigated the actress supported by former Minister Cho" and "I recorded evidence and will disclose one recording first." It was investigated that Kim played a recording file with poor audio quality during this process. Former Minister Cho filed a lawsuit against Kim, claiming these allegations were defamatory falsehoods.

Kim's defense attorney stated, "We deny all the charges," adding, "Cho Kuk was a public figure who received widespread public attention as a nominee for Minister of Justice." He further argued, "In such circumstances, integrity is a matter of public interest and should always be subject to scrutiny."

The defense also emphasized, "There were specific reports that a Seoul National University professor with public authority and a senior presidential secretary for civil affairs privately supported an actress who was acquainted with his younger sibling," and added, "As a journalist, we judged it highly likely to be true, and raising sufficient questions about integrity cannot be considered lacking in public interest." Kim's side plans to disclose the relevant reports and recordings during the trial if necessary.

Kim is also charged with raising suspicions related to Jang Ji-yeon, wife of singer Kim Gun-mo, at a lecture held by the YouTube channel Garoseuro Yeonguso (Gaseyeon) in January last year, stating, "I heard that Jang lived with a person named Lee Mo."

Regarding this, the defense said, "He did not make a definitive statement that it was a fact," and "He did not intend to refer to Jang but mentioned someone else." Kim himself said, "I did not mention the real name, but it was rather highlighted through media articles," and added, "I was thinking of someone other than Jang when I spoke, but it is regrettable that the media articles specified it."

The next trial for Kim is scheduled for March 16.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.