Christian Broadcasting System (CBS) ordered to pay damages of 50 million Korean Won (c.£35,000)

On 1st November 2018, the Christian Broadcasting System (CBS) was ordered by Seoul Southern District Court to pay damages of 50 million Korean Won (c.£35,000) to the plaintiff, Pastor Heewan Joh, following his appeal to a false news article published about him by the broadcasting media corporation. Moreover, CBS was given a period of seven days within which to delete the accusatory article from all websites with a penalty of 10 million Korean Won (c.£7000) each time they republished it. It is very unusual for a judge to order such high damages to the press and journalists in Korea.

CBS’ reporter Jooyeol Song had reported that Pastor Heewan Joh was a ‘Me-Too’ assailant following claims made by Ms. A to CBS that she had suffered as his victim - an allegation that was found to be false by the police. On July 31st 2017, Seoul Southern District Court issued Ms. A with a summary order for defamation of Pastor Joh on the grounds of false allegations. Ms. A demanded a formal trial in August, but the judge ruled in his favour, ordering Ms. A to pay him 2 million Korean Won in damages. The case was closed and Ms. A didn’t lodge a further appeal. It was only in 2018, when the ‘Me-Too’ campaign drew attention, that CBS re-published the above report.

Separate to this case, Pastor Joh had sued Ms. A for defamation and demanded a temporary restraining order. The Masan branch of Changwon District Court quoted Pastor Joh as saying: “A broken woman should not be permitted to spread such disinformation to others at will, post it on the internet, report it to the press or let others do the same.”

Regarding this matter, the department of justice ruled that “Prior to the broadcast, the defendant, Jooyeol Song, asked the plaintiff (Pastor Heewan Joh) about allegations of sexual assault. The following day, the plaintiff responded by reminding her about his demand for a temporary restraining order and the court’s subsequent ruling”. He said, ‘Investigative agencies and the court proved such allegations to be false’”, and, “Reporter Jooyeol Song and CBS reported the news immediately after the plaintiff’s appeal against such allegations of sexual assault.”

Seoul Southern District Court explained “Based on the decision to issue a temporary restraining order and the court’s ruling between the plaintiff and Ms. A, it is logical for one to confirm that these allegations of sexual assault by Ms. A were false. Moreover, the temporary restraining order was issued to prohibit the media from reporting about it”; and “If a reporter or the press wishes to report facts contrary to those accepted by the established criminal court, it must secure sufficient objective and reliable evidence to overturn these facts.”

And the court highlighted, in particular, that “If a report can cause irreparable damage to one’s honor and personality through allegations such as sexual assault, reporters and the press must first set very strict standards, ensuring that they carry out sufficient investigations to find evidence to verify the credibility of these facts, instead of being vaguely convinced by them based on rumour or statements by people with conflicting interests.”

The department of justice added: “Statements by people who once belonged to Sanchang church, presented by CBS and its reporter, cannot be used as a basis to support the credibility of allegations of sexual assault against the plaintiff without sufficient, objective and reliable evidence. There is no evidence of sufficient and appropriate investigation having been carried out by CBS and its reporter, Jooyeol Song, to warrant the broadcast and reporting of this incident.” They went on to say, “As a religious man with high morals and ethics, the plaintiff has been severely dishonored because of the broadcast and reports. Moreover, he is now subject to considerable limitations with regards his social movements, and has been expelled from his presbytery. CBS and its reporter Jooyeol Song reported the plaintiff’s full name and church without first reporting any objective evidence to support its explanation of the plaintiff according to the preceding court sentence.” The plaintiff suffered mental distress, societal exclusion and violation of personal rights and, in the words of the court ruling, “Reporter Jooyeol Song and CBS jointly bear the responsibility for paying compensation to the plaintiff.”

In other news, global media coverage of the death of Ms. Ji-In Gu from the religious “coercive conversion” programme established and implemented by pastors of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK) is now reaching ears all over the world. CBS is a key ally of the CCK and, recently, they jointly slandered Shincheonji Church of Jesus through an eight-part documentary which the Supreme Court later ruled as false and groundless with harsh penalties imposed. It is only a matter of time before CBS and CCK crumble and the CCK’s congregation members come out and learn the correct understanding of the Christian scripture.