Hankyoreh's False Report on 'Yoon Entertainment' Backlash, Kim Yong-min Avoids Legal Action... Park Jun-young Calls It "Avoidance, Not Response"

From the left, Lawyer Park Jun-young and Kim Yong-min, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] On the 21st, lawyer Park Jun-young (age 47, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 35), who pointed to Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min as the mastermind behind the 2019 Hankyoreh newspaper’s false report titled 'Yoon Seok-yeol also entertained at a villa,' criticized Kim again, saying, "Your statement is avoidance, not a response," after Kim expressed no intention of taking legal action despite being told to sue him.

In a post titled uploaded to his Facebook that morning, Park said, "You said, ‘If you respond, I will prepare accordingly,’ but your statement is avoidance, not a response."

He added, "I have read lawmaker Kim Yong-min’s statement and hope you show the same ‘respect’ you expressed at the end to the Deputy Chief of the Court Administration Office and the Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office. They have more knowledge and experience in criminal law than both you and me."

On the 19th, Kim scolded Kim Hyung-doo, Deputy Chief of the Court Administration Office, who appeared before the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee subcommittee and expressed concerns about the Democratic Party’s push for the 'complete prosecution reform' legislation, asking, "Do you think the National Assembly’s discussions are a joke?"

The day before, Kim shared a screenshot of a text message he received from Cho Jong-tae, Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office, which read, "It is truly embarrassing. You said the National Assembly is a joke. I want to ask, do you think the people are such a joke?" Kim wrote, "Is this a message a prosecutor should send to a legislator?"

In a Facebook post responding to Park’s claims the previous day, Kim wrote, "I still believe in and respect the unwavering passionate sense of justice deeply rooted in lawyer Park Jun-young’s heart," urging him to also show respect and courtesy to Deputy Chief Kim and Chief Prosecutor Cho.

That day, Park refuted point by point the criticisms Kim made against him in his Facebook post.

He said, "You vividly remember a phone call where I said former Vice Minister Kim Hak-ui and Yoon Joong-chun were bad people and the victim was very pitiful, but I have no recollection of such a call," adding, "I was very embarrassed when reviewing the records because they differed from the known facts. It was difficult. My position on this matter remains consistent."

He also said, "I often reflect on the systemic problems revealed in retrial cases and do not see them as merely individual issues. However, it is difficult to generalize that problems from cases 20 years ago are still occurring today."

Park stated, "I did not side with the prosecution but with the people who have no money or connections," adding, "It just so happens that my position aligns with the prosecution’s."

He continued, "Social structural reform should proceed through communication that embraces diversity," emphasizing, "That is how we can reduce marginalized values and people. Forcing legislation through trickery is not the value we should pursue," targeting the Democratic Party, which is using tactics such as forcing out lawmaker Min Hyung-bae to push the 'complete prosecution reform' bill.

The day before, Park had urged Kim to sue him, saying that although the investigation was halted following Hankyoreh’s apology and Yoon’s withdrawal of the lawsuit, if Kim sued him, the facts would be clearly revealed. He also criticized Kim, saying, "If you have personal motives behind pushing the ‘complete prosecution reform’ bill, you should stop."

In response, Kim explained on his Facebook, "It seems lawyer Park Jun-young has brought up my responsibility regarding Hankyoreh’s false report on Kim Hak-ui. While speculation is free, please at least check the interview I gave to News Factory right after that false report before making unfounded claims. I was among the first to say that the Hankyoreh article was a false report and problematic."

He added, "Many citizens like lawyer Park Jun-young very much. Please use that influence for good. Don’t use it to attack me by siding with the prosecution to oppose prosecution reform, but use it to change society’s structure," and reiterated, "I still believe in and respect the unwavering passionate sense of justice deeply rooted in lawyer Park Jun-young’s heart."

However, Kim has not expressed any intention to take legal action such as filing a defamation lawsuit or civil damages claim against Park for pointing to him as the mastermind behind Hankyoreh’s false report.

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