"Reporters Who First Revealed Jo Jinwoong's Juvenile Offense History Cleared of Juvenile Act Violation"

Five Months After the Investigation Began

Reporters who were accused of violating the Juvenile Act after initially reporting on the juvenile criminal record of actor Jo Jin-woong (50, real name Jo Wonjun) have been cleared of all charges.

Actor Jo Jin-woong. Content Wave

According to the police on the 19th, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency decided on May 11 not to pursue charges against two Dispatch reporters who had been accused of violating the Juvenile Act and defaming Jo Jin-woong under the Information and Communications Network Act. The police did not refer the case to the prosecution. This decision came five months after the investigation began.

In December last year, the online media outlet Dispatch reported that Jo Jin-woong had been subject to juvenile protective measures in 1994, when he was a high school sophomore, for alleged involvement in robbery, rape, and car theft.

However, controversy arose over how Dispatch obtained this information, as Article 70 of the Juvenile Act stipulates that all information regarding juvenile court records and verdicts is considered official secrets. Violation of this provision can result in imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Subsequently, an official complaint was filed alleging that the Dispatch reporters had violated Article 70 of the Juvenile Act, which led to the launch of the investigation.

After news of his juvenile criminal record became public, Jo Jin-woong announced his retirement. He stated, "I deeply apologize to everyone who trusted and supported me for the disappointment caused by my regrettable past. I humbly accept all criticism and, as of today, I will cease all activities and bring an end to my career as an actor."

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