South Korean journalist ordered to pay 200 million won over false allegations against Ju Haknyeon

Ju Haknyeon, a former member of K-pop group The Boyz, has won 200 million won (about $150,000) in damages from a journalist who published false allegations that he had paid for sex.

Ju Haknyeon, a former member of K-pop group The Boyz, has won 200 million won (about $150,000) in damages from a journalist who published false allegations that he had paid for sex.

A court found that the allegations were unsubstantiated and that the journalist had failed to make sufficient efforts to verify the claims before publication.

On Wednesday, October 28, the court ruled partially in Ju’s favour in a damages lawsuit against the journalist, identified in court documents as Choi, and ordered Choi to pay 200 million won.

In June last year, Choi published an article claiming that “Ju Hak-nyeon paid for sex with an entertainer who was a former Japanese adult video (AV) actor” and that “Ju, who had denied paying for sex, later admitted it”.

The court found both claims false.

Choi argued that the report was true or that there were reasonable grounds to believe it was true. The journalist also denied knowingly publishing false information or intending to defame the K-pop singer.

The court rejected those arguments, saying Choi had failed to establish whether there were circumstances suggesting paid sex or to identify any specific evidence supporting the allegations.

It said the journalist had published false information that defamed Ju and caused him considerable emotional distress. The court set damages at 200 million won.