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Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: Press Ethics Committee warned 25 media outlets for reportage on it amid Kim Sae Ron dating row
Usage of Kim Soo Hyun's name to report on a petition for amendment of s*xual crime laws might lead to unfavorable consequences henceforth. Know more.
The Kim Soo Hyun-Kim Sae Ron dating scandal escalated to the extent of a petition being filed to change the current statutory s*xual crime laws of South Korea. Since the Act was proposed following allegations of the actor being s*xually involved with an underage Kim Sae Ron, it was called the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act.
However, noting the potential damage it could cause the actor, a warning was issued against the usage of his name for reportage.
Media outlets asked not to use Kim Soo Hyun's name in reportage of petition for amendment of s*xual crime laws
At least 25 media outlets covering the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act faced a warning from the Korea Press Ethics Commission during their 997th meeting, as reported by K-media SBS Entertainment News on July 7. The Act aimed at raising the age of statutory r*pe for minors.
The commission noted that using Kim Soo Hyun's real name in the article headlines could stigmatize him as a cr*minal, potentially causing emotional and mental harm to him, his family, and fans.
What laws did journalists breach while covering the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act?
As per the Korea Press Ethics Commission, 25 media outlets faced a cautionary notice for breaching journalistic ethics. The outlets were found guilty of violating Article 10 (Principles of Titles) and Article 11 (Respect for Honor and Credit) by using titles that linked actor Kim Soo Hyun to unverified allegations.
An example of a headline that was flagged as unethical by the commission is– "Kim Soo Hyun's grooming sexual crime against Kim Sae Ron, who was a minor, was revealed and angered the public."
They emphasized that responsible journalism requires verifying claims before publishing them, especially when reporting on such sensitive topics. By failing to do so, the media houses compromised their responsibility to report accurately and fairly.
The commission explained that "citing the petitioner's one-sided claims as they are or using the bill title with Kim Soo Hyun's real name as the title of the article, raises concern that it may stigmatize the individual as a criminal when facts have not been confirmed."
This incident highlighted the importance of adhering to press ethics guidelines to prevent harm to individuals and communities.
