SEOUL: A Seoul court on Friday dismissed a damages suit filed by Lee Dong-kwan, a former head of the state broadcasting watchdog, against local news channel YTN for covering allegations that his wife had received bribes in return for job favors.
Lee, former chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), filed the suit after the news channel reported on allegations that his wife had received money in exchange for job favors in 2010 before returning it two months later.
He claimed the news channel had “maliciously reported on lopsided opinion” and filed a suit seeking 500 million won (US$360,821) in compensation.
The Seoul Central District Court dismissed the suit, saying even if what was reported is considered false due to a lack of evidence, it was reported for the purpose of public interest and that the report did not say the allegations are true.
Reporters also put in a lot of work, including seeking Lee’s position on the matter, the court said.
Lee, a former journalist who served as a senior s
ecretary for press affairs during the Lee Myung-bak administration, was appointed as the chief of the state broadcasting watchdog in August before he stepped down about three months later ahead of a pending National Assembly impeachment vote.
Source: Yonhap News Agency