Jang Woo-hyuk (장우혁), a singer and former member of the first-generation idol group H.O.T., has been accused by a former employee, identified as 'Ms. A,' of verbal abuse and physical assault. Ms. A was subsequently charged with defamation after publicly revealing her allegations. Following her acquittal in the first trial, prosecutors have appealed the verdict, and the second trial is set to resume in September.
The Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 2-1 is scheduled to hold the first hearing for the second trial on September 10. The case involves Ms. A, who is accused of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, specifically regarding defamation.
The allegations first surfaced on June 10, 2022, when Ms. A posted on an online community, claiming Jang Woo-hyuk had physically assaulted her twice. She stated that in early 2014, while sharing a taxi during an overseas business trip, Jang Woo-hyuk, wearing leather gloves, suddenly punched her in the back of the head. She further alleged that in 2020, while attaching a microphone to him before a performance, he suddenly slapped her hand and uttered profanities.
Ms. A also claimed that she had endured long-term verbal abuse and personal insults from Jang Woo-hyuk, stating, "At the time, I thought these were things I had to endure for work." She even blamed herself for choosing to tolerate the behavior and continue working. She also revealed that someone had told her, "Maybe because you're a woman, he didn't hit you as hard."
In response, Jang Woo-hyuk denied all accusations, emphasizing that they were "completely untrue," and subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against Ms. A.
During police questioning, Jang Woo-hyuk counter-alleged that during a conflict at a broadcasting station in 2020, "I was the one who was hit by her." He claimed that before a performance, while he was adjusting his belt-worn microphone and other equipment, he needed assistance due to unclear wiring. Ms. A was nearby but did not help, merely watching from behind. Jang Woo-hyuk stated that after he asked her for help, she approached him and suddenly slapped his hand forcefully with her right hand, making a distinct 'smack' sound.
After investigation, prosecutors acknowledged that Ms. A's claims of assault and verbal abuse during the overseas business trip had factual basis. However, they deemed her account of being assaulted at the broadcasting station in 2020 to be false, leading to her formal indictment in May 2023. Despite this, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 9, in the first trial, ultimately acquitted Ms. A.
The judge found parts of Jang Woo-hyuk's testimony to lack credibility. The ruling noted that while Jang Woo-hyuk claimed to have been hit by Ms. A with a loud sound, there were no records of him experiencing pain or injury after the incident. Furthermore, the day after the alleged event, he only sent a message reprimanding Ms. A for slow replies, without imposing any punishment or warning.
The court further reasoned that, considering the relationship between a company representative and an employee, it was difficult to conclude that Ms. A would have assaulted Jang Woo-hyuk without reason. In contrast, it was deemed more plausible that Jang Woo-hyuk, who was in a position of power at the time, might have physically assaulted Ms. A due to emotional agitation.
The ruling also pointed out inconsistencies in Jang Woo-hyuk's statements regarding the incident location, the presence of others, and potential witnesses. The court stated that these discrepancies "cannot be simply regarded as memory errors" and did not rule out the possibility that he was attempting to conceal his own actions or even reverse the roles of perpetrator and victim.
Regarding Ms. A's testimony, the court found her account to be specific and naturally consistent with the circumstances. If she had fabricated the content to defame Jang Woo-hyuk, she likely would have exaggerated the extent of the violence and related descriptions. However, there was insufficient evidence to prove that she knowingly disseminated false information.
Therefore, the first trial concluded that the charges of defamation against Ms. A could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to her acquittal.
However, prosecutors, dissatisfied with the first trial's verdict, have officially filed an appeal. The case will now proceed to the second trial on September 10, with the outcome drawing significant public attention.
