Supreme Court Rules MBC to Pay Damages to TV Chosun Executive in Jang Ja-yeon Case

The Supreme Court of South Korea has upheld a ruling requiring MBC to pay 30 million won in damages to TV Chosun Vice President Bang Jeong-o. This decision stems from a defamation lawsuit related to the late actress Jang Ja-yeon, who tragically took her own life in March 2009 after leaving a note alleging she had been forced to entertain influential figures. In July 2018, MBC's investigative program PD수첩 (PD Notebook) aired two reports suggesting Bang's involvement in the case. Bang claimed that these reports damaged his reputation and violated his right to privacy, leading him to seek 300 million won in damages. The initial court ruled that certain claims made in the reports were false, ordering the defendants to jointly pay 30 million won and to broadcast a correction on the next airing of PD수첩. The appellate court affirmed this decision, although it modified the specifics of the correction. Both parties appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, confirming the lower court's ruling. Previously, Bang had also filed a lawsuit against other media outlets, which resulted in a partial acceptance of his correction request but a dismissal of his damages claim in 2022.