On December 8, attorney Kim Kyung Ho revealed that he had filed a complaint through the National Sinmungo system against the reporter who initially covered Cho Jin Woong’s past, citing a violation of Article 70 of the Juvenile Act.
Kim stated, “Society made a difficult decision to give immature souls a second chance—that’s the reason we created the Juvenile Act. It’s not a shield to hide crimes but a societal agreement to help reintegrate people without stigma.” He condemned the entertainment outlet for “tearing open a sealed court decision from 30 years ago and displaying it for the world, under the guise of journalism.”
He continued, “The outlet listed Cho’s juvenile charges, including robbery with violence and time in a youth detention center. But we must ask—do the public in 2025 really need to know the mistakes of a high school student from 30 years ago?”
Kim emphasized that Article 70 of the Juvenile Act strictly prohibits any agency from responding to inquiries about juvenile cases. “Leaking these records can socially kill a person,” he said. “If the journalist obtained this information through a public servant or insider, it’s not journalism—it’s a criminal act that illegally bypassed legal protections.”
He concluded, “This issue is not about a celebrity’s past. It’s about how ‘commercial voyeurism’ mocked the rule of law. If such behavior is tolerated for the sake of clicks, our correctional system will collapse. If one mistake means a lifetime of surveillance, who would dare dream of rehabilitation? Investigators must thoroughly track how the reporter obtained this information.”
The controversy stems from a report by Dispatch, which claimed Choi Jin Woong committed serious crimes—including theft, assault, and rape—as a high schooler, resulting in detention in a juvenile facility. On December 6, just one day after the story broke, Cho Jin Woong announced his retirement. His side confirmed some juvenile wrongdoing but denied any involvement in sexual assault.
Sources: Daum
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