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Japanese journalist indicted in S Korea for defaming president

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This puts Korea in good company...China, Iran, North Korea, Russia. Arresting foreign journalists is typical of dictatorships and rogue nations.

28 ( +32 / -5 )

“It is a serious and clear violation to the freedom of speech guaranteed by the constitution not only of South Korea but also of Japan and any other democratic nation,”

Park is a fascist and sKorea is no democratic country.

23 ( +28 / -6 )

Simply amazing.

Criminality on 'defamation'? A simple article that CITES Korean sources including Chosun Ilbo who were 'defaming' and making speculations and yet only Sankei is targeted.

http://www.sankei.com/world/news/140803/wor1408030034-n1.html

Unbelievable.

21 ( +24 / -3 )

@yamiko

Who from CNN or CBS has been jailed for defamation against a US politician?

19 ( +20 / -1 )

This woman South Korean President is as arrogant and undemocratic as the North Korean leaders. She is dragging down South Koreas image globally as being an extreme regime with little tolerance for the proper process of the law or constitutional rights. She still has not properly explained her 7 hour absence.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

Let freedom ring!

Maybe this is an unjust stereotype, but every time Ive been to S.Korea, China, Vietnam, I've always been on my tip top very best behavior because I feel anything could get me locked up for a long time with little help.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

Imagine what would happen if a journalist defamed Japan's head of state, i.e. the emperor.

No need to imagine. The law is quite clear.

Defaming the emperor has not been a special crime since the end of the war. A defamation case would be handled the same as it would against a regular citizen. Politicians and royalty do not have special rights under the law where defamation is concerned.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

I believe that freedom of expression is a universal right of all people, regardless of their nationality or culture.

11 ( +11 / -1 )

This indictment casts serious doubt on Korea's commitment to freedom of the press and democratic rule of law. This will cause other journalists there to hold back when reporting on important issues, and cause the global community to approach South Korea with skepticism.

Rookie move by the South Korean government.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The aggressiveness of Korea political drama as usual. Maybe, they forgot to indicted N.Korea for calling president Park, a prostitute!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

The group ranks South Korea 57th out of 180 countries in its 2014 press freedom index.

The US was dinged because of the Snowden kerfuffle. What's S. Korea's excuse?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

So what happened to the reporters of the Korean press who originally reported the story in Korean?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

If you read the article (thank you nigelboy) http://www.sankei.com/world/news/140803/wor1408030034-n1.html you will find that Sankie went a lot further than the other press reports, publicising the opinions of its own "finance world source," putting the full accusation that the president spent seven hours with a married man on the day of the disaster, that her staff were covering, and that the staffers had subsequently divorced his with a secrecy agreement in the divorce settlement. The article frames the dissemination of this information in the context of how difficult it is to keep rumours under control but is at the same time publicly disseminating an accusation which had till then been a rumour.

In Japan "Friday-ing" famous people's rendezvous with persons of the opposite sex is common, and I presume well within the law. But even in Japan, they protect the privacy of the "person of the other sex" whereas this article gives his name. Admittedly, since he was an aide it can be claimed he is also a public figure.

In any event, to publicise something like this, one needs proof (Friday usually publishes a photo). The President is claiming that this rumour is not true. If Sankei did publish the opinion of their "financial world source" without verifying the facts and the rumour really wasn't true, then is this indictment limiting freedom of the press or limiting defamation? The jury is out.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

International media must come forward and support ...Freedom of expression is a must in a Democracy !

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Imagine what would happen if a journalist defamed Japan's head of state, i.e. the emperor.

The J media are doing it all the time. Don't you know Empress Michiko became ill several times because of it ?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"under South Korea’s National Security Law, those deemed by authorities deem to have criticized the country’s political leaders may be punished." But... "South Korea is now a vibrant liberal democracy"????????

Hellooooo...

5 ( +9 / -4 )

so where was the president for 7 hours? who was she with? isn't truth a defense?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The only difference between Commie China and South Korea is their language. Their economy are base on stealing and copying..... They were good allies.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Japan are ranked 59th on the 2014 Press Freedom Index, 2 places below S. Korea. So criticize S. Korea all you want, but Japan is just as bad.

S. Korean is worse, according to the Freedom House index.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Wait, isn't defamation usually covered under civil law, rather than criminal law?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Quasar80

There is a difference wider then the Pacific between being sued and being indicted, former being a civil case and the latter being a criminal case.

In S.Korea it seems as if justice is served selectively with creed and prejudice.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

what can you expect? they way she covered up the mess was a joke to begin with.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Like father, like daughter. Father was totalitarian. What daughter is?

Is S. Korea democratic nation? Why she oppress journalists in S. Korea?

It’s proved she has heritage her father DNA in her blood. It’s too bad for S. Korean peoples.

Any way, Park has to reveal whereabouts she was when Ferry sank at court.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A private citizen and a government official are complete different standpoint with complete different responsibility. I really cannot understand you bring up up a private citizen's example as comparison.

The President has responsibilities and accountability of her actions which she had not fulfilled, abandoned and trying to cover-up by abusing her executive power.

If you want to make comparison it should be how the French media had covered President Hollande and his love affairs.

NO BORDERS for public officials.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

justbcuzisay, I only care about accuracy. I don't get upset just because other countries speak bad of Japan. And Nigel is right. Mr. Kato's article was written in Japanese and targeted the Japanese audience, which makes this indictment all the more ridiculous.

The "victim" of defamation is President Park, so she is abusing her power for her personal indignation, which is a serious thing.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

justbcuzisay,

Did you even read the Sankei article I linked to in the very beginning?

Which paragraph in the said article (which as I alluded to before is basically quoting of the Chosun Ilbo column in July) constitutes 'defamation'?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

justbcuzisay, You copied my unrelated comment from another thread about English education in Japan. It was my sarcastic response to Sensato who cited Japanese mentality on Japanese inability of learning English

2 ( +3 / -1 )

turbotsat

That is just nitpicking evading the big question, does the government allowed to prosecute a news agency covering news, if so how is freedom of press ensured in SK?

Choice of words and/or speculation by the writer has always been part of journalism and is part of freedom of press. The final judgement of writers, editor and publishers are handed out by the readers and not the government.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Park is the worse president for South Korea.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

dcog9065 : Wait, isn't defamation usually covered under civil law, rather than criminal law?

Discussed this on the JT article comments when the story first came out. In South Korea, it (defamation? libel?) is covered by criminal law (penalty 7 years?) and civil law (penalty 3 years?).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So if no fuss had been made only a handful of Japanese right wingers would be aware of this rumor.....now the journalist has been indicted the general public in both Korea and Japan know about it and it has the potential to reach a wider audience.

Bit of a backfire.

1 ( +2 / -2 )

You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else. It is no defence to claim that you were only quoting someone else. One thing Kato should always remember is that if there is any fear in your mind that you might be committing defamation, ask for professional legal advice before publishing. Most news organizations have lawyers they can call on for advice.

When one merely reports what is stated in another report/column, any liabilitym if incurred, will be borne by the latter.

Looking at Google translation of the Chosun Ilbo article to English, it looks like maybe Choi Bosik described the ex-chief-of-staff's divorce as an example of how secrecy is bad but didn't directly connect it to the President's disappearance like Kato did. Would be nice if someone had a human-made translation but I haven't seen it yet.

Turbotsat,

I think you would confuse the issue even more.

http://www.kcn.ne.jp/~ca001/D139.html

The above link is a Japanese translation of the column by Chosun Ilbo as well as the Sankei article. I really can't tell how this Sankei was translated to Korean for that is the heart of the matter. As Kato alluded to below, there appears to be a different weight/dynamic of certain Japanese word when translated to Korean which the prosecutor alleged the reason for the possible indictment.

http://www.sankei.com/world/news/141009/wor1410090050-n1.html

Which brings back to my argument which is the fact that this article is written in Jaoanese for Japanese readers and IS NOT intended for Korean readers to translate them in Korean to discover that some words that was translated, was offensive.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Japanese news companies should shut down there in SK and bring folks back to JP. Not worth the risk there.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The Chosun Ilbo reporter answered the question, as above. If Google is translating correctly he is rejecting association of his article with Sankei's. He thinks Sankei went too far and made an association that he didn't make. His statement has been out there since Sept. 17, obviously Sankei's Korean bureau has had access to it and can read Korean and could report on it if they chose. If the earlier Google translation of the original article posted and my interpretation of it are correct, the problem is not just a word "vulgar" as your Sankei link says, but that Sankei said the President was cloistered with her former married chief-of-staff who later divorced, and that Chosun Ilbo just used the chief-of-staff's divorce as another example of secrecy. Like the other Sankei staffer said, Kato's mistake may have been borne of his inexperience. He should have got a better translator to work for him, maybe. Or maybe he knew the correct interpretation but thought he could get away with turning Choi Bosik's secrecy example into a 'relationship' between the President and her former staffer.

Turbotsat. Please.

Which news organization disclosed the name and the personal history of the suspected individual who was rumored to been with the President during the tine of the Ferry accident?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Funny how so many people here seem to think differently when it's the Koreans criticizing the Japanese.

Criminalizing, not criticizing. Koreans criticizing Japan is everyday thing, this is different.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@SamuraiBlue, nigelboy

It is just in answer to the question, "Why is the Chosun Ilbo getting a pass on this, while the Sankei reporter is getting indicted?"

It looks like the Chosun Ilbo reporter WAS skirting the line, but he knew how close to skirt it. Like the 20-year Sankei KR reporter, but not the 3-year Sankei KR reporter who was indicted.

As far as "how is freedom of press ensured in SK", and "The final judgement of writers, editor and publishers are handed out by the readers and not the government", ROK is different from Japan. But not so long ago, I remember that there was a delay in naming the multimillionare Japanese Thailand-baby-farm founder or his billionaire telecom tycoon father even after the reports were widely available on global news, and even my posts naming the son on JT were deleted until I replaced his name with '...' in them. Later reports indicated Japanese media were threatened with suit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

nigelboy wrote

Timtak, False. Sankei did not go further for it's basically a summary of what is written by Chosun Ilbo which includes the information of staffers divorce and the 'rumors' circulated. http://naominanami.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1224.html Thanks again for the link. You are the man. I stand very largely corrected: I am sorry, Sankei did basically summarize the Chosun Ilbo article. Is there any difference?

Earlier in the Sankei article Chosun Ilbo's "secret line" expression is interpreted as "someone that the president contacted secretly". So far so good, imho, merely a pretty straight forward linguistic unpacking of "secret line".

The association of the aide with the "secret line" is only very slightl different.

Chosun IIbo (in my English of the Japanese translation you link to) has "People of the world, leaving (question of) truth-vs-untruth aside, started to think that this situation (the divorce of Mr. Chon, the aide) be connected with the President"

Sankei has "(our) Securities source says it is thought that Mr. Chon [the aide] is born in mind as the "secret line" ."

The difference in presentation is imho minimal. But, I guess some may argue that the former expression may be sufficiently vague as to be non defamatory, whereas the second oversteps a line in the sand. Hardly enough to warrant the prosecution of the Japanese journalist over the Korean one, I would agree.

And my readings of the articles and translations may be wrong.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ah, And I thought it was a straight forward "linguistic unpacking"

The Sankei guy, Kato, misunderstood 秘線! He said in the article that it is not in the dictionary but interpreted it to me a PERSON (not place) met in secret.

『大統領は当日、あるところで“秘線”とともにいた』というウワサが作られた」。  「秘線」とはわかりにくい表現だ。韓国語の辞書にも見つけにくい言葉だが、おそらくは「秘密に接触する人物」を示す。

From your tinyurl google translate link above it seems apparent that (秘線)is glossing the previous word 비선 which Google translates as "defence." It is translated as defence in this article too http://tinyurl.com/n6y9388 and I think as you say it is clear that the the "secret" "defence" line is the North South border area. There is also an untranslated word 모처 given as "Mocheo" by Google in your link, but it seems to mean "somewhere" In other words the president's staffer responded not that "She was somewhere with "she was somewhere with a person who will remain secret" but "She was somewhere in the secret/defence line border area""

This mistake makes his version of events considerably more concrete than the Chosun Ilbo version since it seems as if the staffer is admitting that the President is both meeting someone in secret, and keeping that secret, and further, when it comes to the connect between the days events and the aide Chosun Ilbo emphasises that rumour has "left reality (真実の可否を離れ) whereas Kato of the Sankei says that the aide is thought to be the secret personage.

”証券筋が言うところでは、朴大統領の“秘線”はチョン氏を念頭に置いたものとみられている。” According to our securities source, the secret personage (in fact border rear) is seen to be thought to be Mr. Chon (the aid) .

Was his "securities source" taking the mickey and or deliberately setting Kato up for a fall? If the securities source is Korean, then the source must have known that "秘線” refers to a border area and not a person! What a ridiculous error! Trust Japanese language skills to be to blame.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Imagine what would happen if a journalist defamed Japan's head of state, i.e. the emperor.

In 1960, Chuo Koron magazine began running a serialized novel by Shichiro Fukazawa titled Furyumutan," which raised the subject of the emperor's being prosecuted for war crimes. An angry rightwinger went to the home of the magazine's publisher Shimanaka to confront him. Shimanaka was not there, so he murdered the maid and sliced up Mrs. Shimanaka. But there are no more laws specifically covering 不敬罪 (lèse-majesté) on the books. There are in Thailand.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

gokai_wo_maneku : So what happened to the reporters of the Korean press who originally reported the story in Korean?

Chosun Ilbo hasn't even taken the story down, it's still available behind a paywall (it was also printed in hardcopy, originally).

But looking at google translation it looks like the two papers are reporting differently. If so:

Korean paper: 'President was missing for several hours and spokesperson won't tell us why. It is too secret. Secrets are bad. It is similar to the case of her former chief-of-staff not telling us details of why he divorced.'

Japanese paper: 'President was missing for several hours. Rumors are that she was with her former chief-of-staff, who was still married at time but is now divorced.'

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If you read the article (thank you nigelboy) http://www.sankei.com/world/news/140803/wor1408030034-n1.html you will find that Sankie went a lot further than the other press reports, publicising the opinions of its own "finance world source," putting the full accusation that the president spent seven hours with a married man on the day of the disaster, that her staff were covering, and that the staffers had subsequently divorced his with a secrecy agreement in the divorce settlement. The article frames the dissemination of this information in the context of how difficult it is to keep rumours under control but is at the same time publicly disseminating an accusation which had till then been a rumour.

Timtak

False. Sankei did not go further for it's basically a summary of what is written by Chosun Ilbo which includes the information of staffers divorce and the 'rumors' circulated.

http://naominanami.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1224.html

In essence, what it boils down to is the Korean prosecutor indicting criminal charges to Sankei's column which basically paraphrased what Chosun Ilbo published earlier. What's even more ridiculous about this is that Sankei column is in Japanese in a web format only, targeting Japanese readers.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So anything bad written in another language for another country's people cannot be complained about?

They're not complaining, they brought a criminal case against him for up to 7 years in prison.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So anything bad written in another language for another country's people cannot be complained about? That's just amazing, I think I will remember that one.

Complain? Sure. Indictment for defamation? Unheard of in democratic nations.

Nigel implied that it doesn't count because of the language used and the target audience?

It doesn't. What possibly could the readers who are Japanese do after reading it?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

To defame someone, person like Kato do not have to make up false things themselves.

Comprehension problem. Kato didn't make it up. He merely wrote and described what was written in the Chosun Ilbo column.

I am not sure we are having the same conversation. My point is that the language in which something is written is not relevant. That's all. If you are trying to say it is just a translation, perhaps that is another story but I don't speak Korean so I could not compare whether something is a direct translation, but I am sure a good lawyer could find someone qualified to do so if Mr. Kato is saying this is what happened.

You didn't even read the Sankei article I linked to so what are you debating about? It's a simple question. Which part of the article constitutes a 'defamation'?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Kato didn't make it up. He merely wrote and described what was written in the Chosun Ilbo column.

Looking at Google translation of the Chosun Ilbo article to English, it looks like maybe Choi Bosik described the ex-chief-of-staff's divorce as an example of how secrecy is bad but didn't directly connect it to the President's disappearance like Kato did. Would be nice if someone had a human-made translation but I haven't seen it yet.

And Kato's Japanese colleague on the newspaper's Korean bureau has said something to the effect that maybe if Kato had his experience (multiple decades in Korean news vs. Kato's three years) he wouldn't have done something like this, rash enough to get himself into trouble.

Although Chosun Ilbo still has the July 18th article up behind a paywall, not sure that they are not also in trouble about this. Maybe they are just keeping it quiet. After all, their entire home staff is in Korea, not like Sankei Shimbun with just one reporter under the gun and rest of office to a lesser extent.

English translation of this Japanese posts indicates Choi Bosik may have said his article was edited (quoted?) maliciously to make the Japanese article. Is that what the original Japanese post says?

Choi Boshiku reporters spelled this "column the deep meaning", we heard about the "relationship of Mr.Chon'yunfe and president," but, he equivocate. ... "Sentence I wrote is edited maliciously, it has been exploited. For this problem, I do not want to speak in the Japanese media now for that. " ... Sankei Shimbun in the "public flogging" ... Choi reporters, "It is edited maliciously, it has been exploited” it was said is, it seems the article "Sankei Shimbun" of (August 3rd date).

Here apparently is a copy of Choi Bosik's statement or one of them, in Korean. Maybe you can run the Google translate on it from Korean to Japanese and see what he says about it.

http://www.viewsnnews.com/article/view.jsp?seq=114108

(Google translate to English, excerpt, paragraph 10 of Choi's statement only): Moreover, as shown in particular has not Sankei article words of 'relationships' not in my column.

(paragraph 13): So I copied as a column in Sankei side and do only have absurdly personal. I felt cowardly attitude of this Sankei side. Even so, I've also not fit to receive any legal act of any other sanctions to Sankei media representations of yourself.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Readers, please stop bickering.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think you would confuse the issue even more.

The question is, also posed by you (if not as a question), is, "Why did ROK indict the Sankei reporter and not the Chosun Ilbo reporter?"

It's a valid and interesting question, so I went looking for answers, which if found should lessen confusion not increase it.

The Chosun Ilbo reporter answered the question, as above. If Google is translating correctly he is rejecting association of his article with Sankei's. He thinks Sankei went too far and made an association that he didn't make. His statement has been out there since Sept. 17, obviously Sankei's Korean bureau has had access to it and can read Korean and could report on it if they chose. If the earlier Google translation of the original article posted and my interpretation of it are correct, the problem is not just a word "vulgar" as your Sankei link says, but that Sankei said the President was cloistered with her former married chief-of-staff who later divorced, and that Chosun Ilbo just used the chief-of-staff's divorce as another example of secrecy. Like the other Sankei staffer said, Kato's mistake may have been borne of his inexperience. He should have got a better translator to work for him, maybe. Or maybe he knew the correct interpretation but thought he could get away with turning Choi Bosik's secrecy example into a 'relationship' between the President and her former staffer.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

But to be fair, the same could be said about the original Korean article was written for a Korean audience, how do we know that the translation was exact? Did you read the original Korean article and are able to understand it at a translator level of accuracy? As I said before:

Why is this relevant?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why is this relevant?

nigelboyOCT. 10, 2014 - 12:39AM JST False. Sankei did not go further for it's basically a summary of what is written by Chosun Ilbo which includes the information of staffers divorce and the 'rumors' circulated.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

timtak ... "secret line" ...

I looked into the "secret line" bit a while back, too, googling the original Korean phrase, and one place where I found the same wording was in a headline from months prior to the Sewol sinking in which the phrasing evidently referred to the North/South DMZ border area, according to the Google translation of that article. And then recalled that at one point during the "where was President Park after Sewol sank?" media discussion, US press reported she may have been at the North/South border area on a secret mission.

timtak : ... Chosun IIbo (in my English of the Japanese translation you link to) has ...

Here is a TinyURL containing the relevant four paragraphs from the Chosun Ilbo article (first has the "secret line" comment, last has the description of the ex-staffer's divorce) in Google Translate, Korean on left, English on right, no Japanese in the middle. Can't post translate of the whole article because the input link is too large and it chokes tinyurl.com and the other URL-shortening services (the link contains all the original Korean text to be translated).

"Secret line" in the English translation appears as Chinese characters 秘 線 in parentheses. I guess since they are Chinese characters in the original text, not Korean, Korean-to-English GT didn't translate them. Running them through Chinese-to-English GT gives "secret line".

http://tinyurl.com/qe2a28s

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@tontuu Being that I am ignorant of the laws here I'd rather someone explicate than imagine. I doubt this. And despite what a previous poster wrote, it is extremely difficult to prove defamation in the U.S. Maybe Yamiko could provide a link to what he's talking about. Press freedom in the U.S. is in trouble because journalists are ordered to provide source information in cases, a totally different but equally troubling trend. I would be sad to learn that Japan is as bad as Korea and I doubt it. But someone here must know.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Outright defamation is illegal almost everywhere no matter who does the writing or talking. However... if someone is accused of defamation then a fair and impartial trial should then be held. And that is the problem... if a head of state, president, prime minister, king, or what have you, cries defamation.... chances are there will not be anything close to a fair trial where the facts would be presented to an impartial jury of sorts. Now if Bill Gates said Warren Buffett made money because he traded on insider information... yes, chances are great one of them would be proven right.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Nigel boy-

What's even more ridiculous about this is that Sankei column is in Japanese in a web format only, targeting Japanese readers

So anything bad written in another language for another country's people cannot be complained about? That's just amazing, I think I will remember that one.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

nigelboyOct. 11, 2014 - 12:25AM JST Complain? Sure. Indictment for defamation? Unheard of in democratic nations.

To defame someone, person like Kato do not have to make up false things themselves. You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else. It is no defence to claim that you were only quoting someone else. If you write something defamatory, you could be taken to court, along with your editor, your publisher and printer or your broadcasting authority, the person who said the words in the first place.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The 'defaming' comment was meant to be a cheesy play on words, sorry. I have no intention of bickering, I was honestly confused at why the fact that 'It was written in Japanese for Japanese readers' was relevant.

Nigelboy answered part of my question here:

As Kato alluded to below, there appears to be a different weight/dynamic of certain Japanese word when translated to Korean which the prosecutor alleged the reason for the possible indictment.

That's all you had to say, that you were talking about errors in translation.

But to be fair, the same could be said about the original Korean article was written for a Korean audience, how do we know that the translation was exact? Did you read the original Korean article and are able to understand it at a translator level of accuracy? As I said before:

If you are trying to say it is just a translation, perhaps that is another story but I don't speak Korean so I could not compare whether something is a direct translation, but I am sure a good lawyer could find someone qualified to do so if Mr. Kato is saying this is what happened.

To be clear, I never said I think Mr. Kato should be prosecuted. I said I believe in freedom of the press and I am also angry about the criminal case.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

There is nothing too surprising that the newspaper is sued. Pretty much every time this happens to an important politician in any country, the journalist and its employer are sued.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Did you even read the Sankei article I linked to in the very beginning?

I am not sure we are having the same conversation. My point is that the language in which something is written is not relevant. That's all. If you are trying to say it is just a translation, perhaps that is another story but I don't speak Korean so I could not compare whether something is a direct translation, but I am sure a good lawyer could find someone qualified to do so if Mr. Kato is saying this is what happened.

tinawatanabeOCT. 06, 2014 - 11:19AM JST -If you look at the modern Japanese people, they are well aware that they are constantly being criticized all thier lives since childhood by other nationalities.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Funny how so many people here seem to think differently when it's the Koreans criticizing the Japanese.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

As far as I can tell from Google translation of cached version of the now-premium-content Chosun Ilbo article, the article discussed the President's disappearance separately from the discussion of her staffer's divorce news, which it brought in as another example of how bad it is to try to keep things secret, but did not connect the staffer to the President's disappearance that day. Maybe it also says the President was at the North/South border area that day.

If that is so, then it may be that only the Japanese paper was making the connection BETWEEN the President and her staffer. Not the Chosun Ilbo.

Let's see how it pans out. Presumably his company's lawyers have a lot more info, and ability to press the case.

http://www.gobalnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=8816 : article discussing the Chosun Ilbo opinion piece.

http://www.gobalnews.com/news/photo/201407/8816_14416_156.jpg : JPEG of Chosun Ilbo opinion piece.

http://premium.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/07/17/2014071704223.html : opinion piece, now premium content.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@tina - yes they did bring a criminal case, and I believe in freedom of press so I am also angry about it, BUT Nigel implied that it doesn't count because of the language used and the target audience? Think carefully before you answer, as you are always upset that people in other countries speak bad of Japan in other languages.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Nigel boy, please show me where I talked about defamation? Please stop defaming me.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Japan are ranked 59th on the 2014 Press Freedom Index, 2 places below S. Korea. So criticize S. Korea all you want, but Japan is just as bad.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

nigelboyOct. 11, 2014 - 07:41AM JS Comprehension problem. Kato didn't make it up. He merely wrote and described what was written in the Chosun Ilbo column.

You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else. It is no defence to claim that you were only quoting someone else. One thing Kato should always remember is that if there is any fear in your mind that you might be committing defamation, ask for professional legal advice before publishing. Most news organizations have lawyers they can call on for advice.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Kato is just a hired gun. They should indict the president of the Fujisankei media group, whose newspapers, magazines and TV network have been bashing South Korea on a daily basis for the past two years. (Not that the Korean media is any more favorably disposed toward Japan.)

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Journalists should hold responsibilities and accountability for what he reports to the general public, not making up story to defame a citizen of another country. In this case, the president of Korea was an unfortunate target of an ultra-nationalist senkei reporter. To clarify It was a Korean public organization who filed the criminal lawsuit/charge against this shameful japanese man, so there's no controversy of government's any role in this. Still senkei has been known to write extremely negative sensationalist news articles intended to trash its neighboring countries. It was just a matter of time that something like this to happen, because the japanese asked for it again and again in the past.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

@Yamiko It sounds like America doesn't have freedom of expression on journalists or tabloid things.

-8 ( +3 / -10 )

Journalists who wrote lies or unproven facts about any person including PM Abe should be prosecuted, fined, or sued. In the USA, journalists from CBS, CNN, etc. have been jailed, fined, fired or sued for defamation.

-28 ( +7 / -33 )

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