Presidential Office "Former Seowon University Professor Shin Yong-han Reported... Spreading False Information About 'Gutpan'"

Shin Yong-han, former head of policy support at Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign and former professor at Seowon University, appeared as a witness at the hearing of the "Special Committee for the National Investigation on the Truth of the Treason Charges through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seok-yeol Government" held at the National Assembly on the 4th, responding to questions related to the shamanism controversy in the presidential office. Photo by Yonhap News

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On the 5th, the Presidential Office announced that it has filed a complaint against Shin Yong-han, a former professor at Seowon University and former head of policy support at Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign, on charges of defamation by false information under the Information and Communications Network Act.

In a press release on the same day, the Presidential Office stated, "The accused repeatedly spread unidentified false information, mentioning gut rituals and the like, during his appearance as a witness at the hearing of the 'Special Committee for the Investigation of the Truth behind the Alleged Martial Law Declaration and Treason Charges by the Yoon Seok-yeol Government' held at the National Assembly on the 4th, as well as in various media interviews, thereby damaging the honor of the Presidential Office."

It also emphasized, "The Presidential Office expresses strong regret and has taken legal action against the malicious and indiscriminate dissemination of false information."

Shin appeared at the hearing held at the National Assembly the previous day and, in response to questions regarding shamanism controversies, stated, "I received a report that the Presidential Office held gut rituals simultaneously on the same day and at the same time at five major sacred mountains."

A Presidential Office official said, "There was no fact of holding gut rituals, and the employee in question has never performed any work related to fortune-telling," adding, "The false statement that the President and his spouse are obsessed with shamanism and that a Presidential Office employee is engaged in fortune-telling work has damaged the honor of the Presidential Office and the victims."

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