Court Orders Compensation for Victims in Park Won-soon Documentary Case

The Seoul Southern District Court has ruled that the producers of the documentary 'First Argument' (첫 변론), which denies the sexual assault allegations against the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, must pay 10 million KRW to the victim of the case. The court also prohibited any screening or advertising of the film. On July 3, the court's Civil Division 15, presided over by Judge Yoon Chan-young, partially favored the plaintiff, who is the victim in the case, in a damages lawsuit against director Kim Dae-hyun and the production committee 'People Who Believe in Park Won-soon.' The court determined that Kim and the committee are jointly responsible for compensating the plaintiff. They are barred from screening the film through any medium, including streaming or downloads, and are restricted from advertising it. Additionally, they cannot produce, sell, or distribute the film on DVD, video CD, or cassette tape. Violating these terms could result in a penalty of 20 million KRW for each infraction. The court stated, 'It is difficult to view the defendants' primary purpose in creating this film as being for the public good.' It further noted that the film appears to be made from a supportive stance towards the deceased, aimed at glorifying his achievements while downplaying or denying the allegations against him. The court concluded that the film does not serve a public interest and dismissed claims of legality. The court also remarked that the film contains accusations that the plaintiff, influenced by biased women's groups or lawyers, falsely reported harassment, leading to the untimely death of an innocent person, which significantly damages the plaintiff's social value and infringes upon their personal rights. 'First Argument' is a documentary that defends the late mayor. Previously, in September 2023, the court had granted a request from the Seoul City and the harassment victim to prohibit the film's screening. As a result, 'First Argument' was initially barred from being shown in theaters nationwide, although 'People Who Believe in Park Won-soon' had already rented three theaters in the Daehan Theater in Jung-gu, Seoul, to hold a final screening event.