Dispatch Might Be Forced To Close? — Legal Experts Warn Of Jo Jin Woong Controversy Fallout

Actor Jo Jin Woong’s controversy regarding his allegedly criminal past has escalated further in the last few days, especially with criminal charges being filed against Dispatch, the media outlet that first broke the story.

As Jo Jin Woong announced his retirement from the entertainment industry after his alleged past crimes were revealed by Dispatch, attorney Kim Kyung Ho filed criminal charges against two of its reporters. The point of contention is the phrasing in the media outlet’s article, which said it had been confirmed that Jo underwent a criminal trial in his second year of high school. According to attorney Kim, Jo was never prosecuted in criminal court. The only legal action taken in his case was a juvenile protective disposition.

The distinction between a criminal trial and a juvenile protection disposition is huge. A criminal trial, if resulting in a guilty verdict, leaves a criminal record that directly impacts future prospects, licenses and permits, employment, and social evaluation, even after reaching adulthood. In contrast, juvenile protection proceedings in the juvenile division of the family court aim for rehabilitation and improvement, not punishment. Article 32 of the Juvenile Act explicitly states that a juvenile protection disposition should not affect the future status of the juvenile in any way.

Attorney Kim argues that Dispatch’s portrayal of a juvenile who received protective measures as a serious criminal with a prior conviction and a violent offender directly violated Article 70 of the Juvenile Act. Juvenile cases are, by principle, non-public, and this article strictly prohibits access to investigation and trial records.

According to legal experts, with Jo Jin Woong announcing his retirement, he could potentially seek compensation from Dispatch for contractual penalties, production losses, and lost future income from projects including dramas, films, and advertisements. Attorney Kim warned that the outlet could even be forced to close down due to such civil liabilities.

Depending on how Dispatch’s reporting is evaluated in court, the future of entertainment journalism as a whole is expected to be affected in future, along with the standards of reporting juvenile cases.