SEOUL, Dec. 17 (UPI) — A Japanese journalist who raised questions about South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s whereabouts during the Sewol ferry disaster was acquitted of defamation charges on Friday.
Tatsuya Kato, 49, who was Seoul bureau chief of the Sankei Shimbun, was under prosecution without detention for a year and two months before Friday’s acquittal, South Korean outlet News 1 reported.
The Seoul Central District Court had said, however, its final verdict did not imply the content of Kato’s article was true.
The ruling does not mean “former bureau chief Kato acted reasonably and appropriately,” the court said, adding that statements in Kato’s article that suggested Park and a man, Jeong Yun-hee, were meeting for a personal reason were published without complete verification.
According to the court, Kato said he admitted the statements in his article were false, and that he was acquitted because he said he did not intend to slander Park or Jeong.
On April 16, 2014, on the day of the South Korean ferry sinking, Park was unreachable for seven hours. Kato was indicted for libel under South Korea’s Communication Network Act for raising issues that delved into Park’s private life.
The Japanese journalist held a press conference in Seoul after the ruling and said the verdict was a “natural decision,” adding that he hoped the prosecution would not appeal the decision, Kyodo News reported.
Kato also said South Korea’s prosecution should think about what it means to bring charges over an unwelcome article, addressing a public figure, in a modern democratic state.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he “appreciates” the verdict and that he hoped that “it will have a positive impact on relations between Japan and South Korea.”
Japan and South Korea have been attempting to improve ties despite recent developments, including the arrest of a South Korean in connection to a small explosion at Yasukuni Shrine and a retaliatory delivery of excrement to a South Korean consulate in Yokohama.
News 1 reported Japan’s National Public Safety Chairman Taro Kono said Friday he would strengthen security around South Korean diplomatic missions in Japan in the aftermath of the incident.
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