Freedom of expression
Article 21 of the Korean Constitution protects speech, press, assembly and association and bans licensing and censorship, but paragraph 4 forbids injuring others' honour. ICCPR Article 19 allows restrictions provided by law to respect others' reputations; Article 20 bans war propaganda and incitement.
Criminal defamation in Korea
- Criminal Act Art. 307(1): publicly alleging facts that damage reputation
- Art. 307(2): false allegations, punished more severely
- Network Act Art. 70: aggravated online defamation
- Art. 310: no punishment for true statements made solely in the public interest; courts also excuse reasonable belief in truth.
Comparative law
In New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) the US Supreme Court required public officials to prove actual malice. UN Human Rights Committee General Comment 34 urges states to consider decriminalising defamation.
Korean debates
In the 2010 Minerva case the Constitutional Court struck down the ban on false communications "to harm the public interest" as vague, but in 2021 it upheld criminal liability for truthful defamation, so the decriminalisation debate continues.
References
- 「대한민국헌법」 제21조.
- 「형법」 제307조, 제310조.
- New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964).
- UN Human Rights Committee. (2011). General Comment No. 34: Article 19. CCPR/C/GC/34.
- 헌법재판소 2010. 12. 28. 2008헌바157 결정; 헌법재판소 2021. 2. 25. 2017헌마1113 결정.