Japanese Media Welcome Korean Court’s Ruling on Journalist

A Japanese journalist was acquitted today (Dec 17) of defaming South Korean President Park Geun-hye over his report on her whereabouts following a fatal ferry disaster, in a case that strained diplomatic relations.

“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.

Park’s office has said she wasn’t with the man in question, a former adviser.

It is hard to conclude that the reporter meant to defame the president, the presiding judge said. Prosecutors, who previously requested an 18-month prison term, have one week to appeal the ruling. He said his story on Park’s whereabouts during the ferry disaster serves the public interest.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry had intervened in the case, asking the Justice Ministry to consider a request for leniency submitted by the Japanese government based on recent efforts between the two countries to improve relations. Ms Park’s government has faced a huge public backlash for its handling of the rescue operation.

Many South Koreans still resent Japan’s harsh colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Kato wrote in an August 3 online report that the president was missing for seven hours on April 16, 2014, the day the Sewol ferry sank, and alleged that she was secretly meeting a recently divorced former aide. “As the judge mentioned, Korea is a democratic society and has to guarantee the freedom of press”. “I expect that it will have a positive effect on the Japan-South Korean relationship”, Abe told reporters shortly after the court ruling.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed the court’s not-guilty ruling, saying that it would result in improved relations between the two states.

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”.

Kato’s case was watched by many in South Korea and Japan as the Asian neighbors struggle to mend ties frayed over historical and territorial issues.

The Sankei – a centre-right daily – has suggested it was being singled out by South Korean authorities for its campaign to reverse a Japanese apology for forcing Korean women into brothels during WWII.