A Japanese reporter has been acquitted of defamation in South Korea over a report speculating on the whereabouts of President Park Geun-hye at the time of a high-profile ferry accident in 2014.
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On April 16, 2014, on the day of the South Korean ferry sinking, Park was unreachable for seven hours.
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The reporter’s lawyer defended him by insisting that Kato’s report was in the public’s interest, amid global concerns led by the United Nations in recent years about diminishing media freedoms in South Korea.
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“The court declares the accused was not guilty of defaming Park in the capacity of the president as she is a public figure and her activities are the subject of public attention”, the Seoul Central District Court said in the verdict.
Before the verdict, a high-ranking Japanese government official said: “We want to pressure (South Korea) for a not guilty verdict, but such a move could be seen as interfering in domestic politics”.
A South Korean court today cleared a Japanese journalist of defaming the South Korean president in a case that raised new questions about media freedom and had threatened to inflame relations between the uneasy neighbours.
Prosecutors previously called for an 18-month prison term for Kato, saying he meant to libel the South Korean president by reporting false rumours without verifying the facts.
The ministry noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries and their ever-frozen ties now showed signs of thawing.
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The Japanese government requested leniency from Korea in the ruling for Kato several times, saying the Kato case had been a hurdle in mending bilateral ties.
Similar sentiments were also shared in Tokyo, with even Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressing that he “appreciated” the ruling.
“I think it really does have a positive influence”.
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Kato’s paper, the Sankei Shimbun, is reviled by some South Koreans for its right-leaning editorial stance.
