"'Whistleblowing Tip' Jo Seong-eun, Public Interest Whistleblower Recognition Cancellation Lawsuit 'Dismissed'"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A civic group filed an administrative lawsuit demanding the cancellation of the decision recognizing whistleblower Jo Seong-eun, who reported the 'accusation inducement' suspicion, as a public interest whistleblower, but the court dismissed the case. Dismissal means concluding the case without substantive judgment because the lawsuit does not meet the requirements.

On the afternoon of the 12th, the Administrative 13th Division of the Seoul Administrative Court (Chief Judge Park Jeongdae) dismissed the corruption and public interest whistleblower status recognition cancellation lawsuit filed by the civic group Seomin Minsaeng Countermeasure Committee against the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

Last September, Jo reported the 'accusation inducement' suspicion to the Commission and then applied for whistleblower protection measures such as confirmation of violation of whistleblower confidentiality obligations by related parties, personal protection measures, prohibition of disadvantageous measures against the applicant, and exemption from responsibility. The Commission later confirmed that Jo met the legal requirements and recognized her status as a public interest whistleblower.

In response, the Seomin Minsaeng Countermeasure Committee filed a lawsuit arguing that Jo should not be recognized as a public interest whistleblower. The claim was that Jo's report aimed to damage then-powerful presidential candidate President Yoon Seok-yeol. The Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act stipulates that reports made for improper purposes are not considered public interest reports.

The 'accusation inducement' suspicion involves allegations that when President Yoon was serving as Prosecutor General, the prosecution requested the opposition party (People Power Party) to file accusations targeting ruling party (Democratic Party) figures. Recently, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials indicted Son Junsung, then the Policy Officer of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, without detention on charges of instructing subordinate prosecutors to draft accusations and collect supporting evidence and conspiring to induce accusations, while President Yoon was cleared of charges.

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