Whistleblower Personal Information Exposed...Suspended Sentence for Former Care CEO Park Soyon over 'Euthanasia of Rescue Animals'

Posting Whistleblower's Face on Facebook
Former Executive Board Also Guilty of Defamation Charges

Park So-yeon, former representative of the animal rights organization 'CARE,' who was sentenced to prison for euthanizing rescued animals, received a suspended sentence for another charge. She is accused of exposing the identity of a whistleblower who reported the case and defaming former members of the executive board.

Former Care Representative Park So-yeon, an animal rights group sentenced to prison for euthanizing rescue animals
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the legal community on the 12th, Park exposed the identity of Mr. A, a former animal management director who reported to the media after the prosecution and police launched an investigation in 2019 into the illegal euthanasia of multiple animals. At the time, she claimed on Facebook that "Mr. A is not a public interest whistleblower," alleging issues with his motives and purpose and that false information was included. When it became known that Mr. A had received an award from a public interest whistleblower organization, she posted a photo revealing Mr. A’s face, stating, "He may have to return the award. Everything will be revealed in the future."

Article 12 of the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act prohibits the disclosure or reporting of facts or personal information that could identify a whistleblower. On the 12th, Judge Kim Gil-ho of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 11 sentenced Park to four months in prison with a two-year suspension based on this law. Park’s claim that "the confidentiality was lost due to Mr. A’s voluntary consent and the media’s breach of confidentiality obligations" was rejected.

Park is also accused of defaming Mr. B, a former director of CARE, by making sexual remarks in front of the court in February 2021. When Mr. B confronted her, asking, "Did you call me a bar girl?" it was investigated that she said in front of about seven people, "Didn’t you call to get a hospital document saying you can’t get pregnant due to a traffic accident?" The court stated, "She defamed the victim by discussing intimate personal matters that could harm the victim’s social reputation in front of multiple people," adding, "The defendant’s guilt is not light, and both the victim and the whistleblower are petitioning for severe punishment."

Park was prosecuted for violating the Animal Protection Act by euthanizing ninety-eight animals from 2015 to 2018 to reduce animal treatment costs. She was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial in February and has appealed.

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