Kukmin Daily has won two final lawsuits filed by the World Mission Society Church of God (formerly known as Ahn Sahng-hong Witness Society) demanding correction of a report and claiming 440 million won compensation for damages. There is one 200 million won lawsuit still pending against Kukmin Daily, but the recent victory is evaluated as having widened the range of possibility for criticizing WMS Church of God.
On July 4, the Supreme Court’s Department Three (main judge: Kim Shin, justice of Supreme Court) announced the dismissal of the lawsuits demanding correction of the opposition’s report and claiming compensation for damages, and ordered only that the report be reduced in length. The decision made it possible to freely criticize WMS Church of God as an end-times apocalyptic group.
Rev. Jin Yong-shik (head of the Korean Christian Council of Heresy Counseling Centers) said, “Freedom of religion includes freedom to criticize. Heretical groups these days have filed a series of lawsuits in the attempt to shut down valid criticism, which is guaranteed by the Constitution. By standing strong against these lawsuits claiming huge amounts of compensation, Kukmin Daily has contributed to expanding the leeway for the Korean church to criticize WMS Church of God. I hope that all believers will pray for justice to be done in the one remaining Supreme Court decision.”
Reporter Paek Sang-hyun (100sh@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Original Article in Korean:
‘하나님의교회’ 비판 족쇄 풀려… 이단 보도에 기념비적 판결: 대법원, 국민일보 보도 승소 확정판결 의미 <상>
Related Article:
Court Finds Rev. Jin Yong-shik Innocent of All Accusations by WMS Church of God
Supreme Court Dismisses WMS Church of God’s Lawsuits… Allows Criticism of Heretical Groups
2016-07-05 16:49
