Kim Eo-jun fined 300,000 won for 'illegal electioneering' charge; Joo Jin-woo acquitted

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun and former SisaIN reporter Joo Jin-woo, who were tried on charges of 'illegal election campaigning,' received final rulings from the Supreme Court confirming fines of 300,000 won and acquittal, respectively.

Kim Eo-jun, head of Ddanzi Ilbo (left), and Joo Jin-woo, former reporter of SisaIN, are attending the second trial sentencing hearing related to election law violations at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu on the afternoon of January 11. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 13th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Min Yoo-sook) upheld the lower court's ruling that sentenced Kim to a fine of 300,000 won and acquitted Joo on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. The court stated, "There is no error in the lower court's interpretation of the law regarding election campaigning under the Public Official Election Act," dismissing both the prosecutor's and Kim's appeals.

Previously, Kim and Joo were prosecuted for illegal election campaigning just before the 19th general election in 2012. They were accused of publicly endorsing Democratic United Party candidates Jeong Dong-young and Kim Yong-min in front of the public, announcing gatherings via social networking services (SNS), and conducting election campaigns using loudspeakers. The Public Official Election Act prohibited holding gatherings or meetings intended to influence elections during the election period.

The first trial sentenced Kim and Joo to fines of 900,000 won each, recognizing their use of loudspeakers and holding illegal gatherings to prevent the election of Saenuri Party candidates as guilty. However, most parts related to using loudspeakers to support Kim Yong-min's election were judged as not guilty.

The first trial court stated, "The defendants were in the position of minorities or the weak against the then regime, yet they actively engaged in media activities exposing the misconduct and failures of the president and the regime, contributing to the development of democracy."

However, last year, the Constitutional Court ruled that "it is difficult to justify a total ban on gatherings or meetings based solely on the abstract risk to election fairness," declaring Article 103, Paragraph 3 of the Public Official Election Act, which prohibits gatherings to influence elections during the election campaign period, unconstitutional. Kim's constitutional complaint was accepted.

Based on the Constitutional Court's ruling, the appellate court earlier this year recognized only one charge of election campaigning using loudspeakers by Kim as guilty among several allegations. On this day, the Supreme Court also agreed with the appellate court's judgment.

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