Korean Job Discussion Forums

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200711/200711220018.html

500 million won.

Wow.

Seriously, I hope they win and set an example. They want the winnings to go to fight libel by media.

Perhaps we could make use of some of that money against a site that libels us in Korea?

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...

I'd contribute to any lawsuit anyone wants to place against that fake "60 Minutes" show with it's weekly "Foreigner got AIDS" shows

denistron · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Location: Busan

As would I.

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

You know, that's not a bad idea...

agentX · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Location: Jeolla province

Though I think a lawsuit is going too far, this does intrigue me enough to ask the question.
To anyone with legal knowledge of Korea: Do they have/allow for class-action lawsuits? If so, is it similar to the US system?

If no one knows, then I'm gonna ask on Yahoo Answers.

dalpengi · Joined: 08 Dec 2006

The problem for you teachers is that truth is generally accepted as a valid defence in defamation cases�

whatever · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Location: Korea: More fun than jail.

Seriously...do you think the courts wouldn't care that we're foreigners?

dalpengi · Joined: 08 Dec 2006

I know jack about the Korean system as far libel / defamation is concerned but in a commonwealth country (though not sure about the US) no teacher would ever have case based on those TV shows.

As I mentioned truth is a valid defence but even ignoring that, there is the fact that you have to be part of a relatively small group to sue (as in, certainly not a couple thousand). In addition to all this, another defence comes to mind, that of public interest � as in, the show was trying to raise issues that are of public interest so not everything needs to be 100% spot in terms of truth.

And that�s in the commonwealth countries� hopefully the Korean justice system is kinder�

Return Jones · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:40 am Post subject:

500 million won? That's like US $535,000. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a puny amount for a libel/defamation suit by a well-known TV celeb? In North America (mainly the US) I'm guessing it runs like $50 million and gets whittled down somewhat through the court system or the two parties reach an agreement in private. Any thoughts?

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

winterwawa · Joined: 06 May 2007

Truth is not a defence in Korea. Korean laws states that a law suit can be filed for libel or slander even if what is said or printed is true. The catch is that there has to be an actual loss. (loss of job, loss of income, ect) The Korean legal system does not have provisions for punitive damages, so unless you actually suffer some kind of monatary loss due to what was said, you have very little chance of winning a lawsuit.