‘Segye Ilbo’ suing me for posting a video of Mother’s words? (2026-10-29)

[최종근]

Is sharing “True Mother’s Words” a crime? — ‘Segye Ilbo’ files a lawsuit against Choi Jong-keun for posting a video of her words from over a year ago (2026-10-29)

Recently, I received notification from the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul that the ‘Segye Ilbo’ had filed a criminal complaint in September 2026 regarding a post I posted on the Café in July 2025. I therefore requested that the case be transferred to the police station with jurisdiction over my place of residence and inquired about the details of the complaint.

The police told me to wait until the case was transferred to confirm‎ the exact details, so I agreed and ended the call briefly.

At first, I assumed the complaint was for defamation. However, even after reviewing my posts to see if there was anything that might have led the ‘Segye Ilbo’ to file a defamation complaint against the [Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee], I could not think of anything in particular.

As for posts related to the ‘Segye Ilbo’, the only relevant activity was when Attorney Park Jin-yong, until April 15, 2025, raised issues concerning Vice Director Jeong Won-ju and Central Administrative Office Director Lee Cheong-woo and held a one-person protest in front of the ‘Segye Ilbo’ headquarters; I had simply recorded the scene with photos and videos and posted them on the Café.

However, the content of those posts was not directly related to the ‘Segye Ilbo’.

◆ The reason for the criminal complaint was the posting of a “video of President Han’s remarks during her visit to the ‘Segye Ilbo’”

On the morning of October 29, 2026, I received a call from the local police station. They explained that they had received a case transfer regarding a criminal complaint filed against me on suspicion of violating the Copyright Act for a video I had posted on the Café around July 2025.

When I asked, “I plan to verify the details of the complaint through a freedom-of-information request, so please at least tell me the title of the post in question,” the police replied, “It concerns the posting of a video of President Han Hak-ja.”

Upon checking the post on the Café, I found that it was a video of President Han Hak-ja’s “Words” delivered during her visit to the ‘Segye Ilbo’ on July 9, 2025, which I had posted on July 29. It was this post that led to the criminal complaint alleging a violation of the Copyright Act.

▶ Sharing an original video of President Han Hak-ja’s words at her visit to ‘Segye Ilbo’ (2025-07-29)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1117?svc=cafeapi

◆ Criminal complaint filed 1 year and 2 months after the post—possibility that the “6-month filing period” has expired

Violations of the Copyright Act are, in principle, offenses that require a complaint from the rights holder to be prosecuted—except in cases such as commercial use or habitual infringement—(Article 140 of the Copyright Act). Article 230 of the Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that, for offenses requiring a complaint, a complaint cannot be filed after six months have passed from the date the perpetrator was identified.

The video in question was released at a non-profit café on July 29, 2025, and the identity of the uploader was clear from the outset.

On October 28, 2025, I also posted an article questioning why the ‘Segye Ilbo’ was obstructing the publication of President Han’s words.

Depending on when the ‘Segye Ilbo’ became aware of the fact of the post and the identity of the poster, it is possible that this complaint was filed after the statutory filing period had expired. Once I obtain the complaint, I would like to verify this point first.

Even so, questions remain regarding the reasons behind the decision to file a complaint more than a year after the post was made.

◆ Why does the ‘Segye Ilbo’ under CEO Park Jeong-hoon’s leadership view the “Word videos” as a problem?

On June 17, 2026, Park Jeong-hoon, Executive Vice President in charge of management, was appointed CEO at a ‘Segye Ilbo’ board meeting and assumed office on July 18.

Having assumed the position of CEO of the ‘Segye Ilbo’ during a difficult period, Park Jeong-hoon is now in a position to focus his efforts on restoring the newspaper’s lost trust and prestige and turning its management around.

▶ [Breaking News] Segye Ilbo EVP Park Jeong-hoon tentatively appointed CEO (2026-06-17)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/32

However, what the ‘Segye Ilbo’ under Park Jeong-hoon’s leadership did was to file a criminal complaint against me on suspicion of violating the Copyright Act. This occurred in September 2026, just two months after he took office.

This raises a question of whether this was an attempt to curry favor with the Unification Church leadership.

If even conveying the full text of President Han Hak-ja’s “Words” to church members is viewed as problematic, that means the church-affiliated media outlet is, in fact, hindering the dissemination of True Mother’s “Words.”

By the same logic, this would mean that the “Commentary on the Theory of True Parents” —which is said to have been compiled under President Han’s instructions—should not be shared with church members either.

I myself am a member of a Blessed Family in the Unification Church, and when I expressed that I could not understand why sharing videos of President Han Hak-ja’s words with church members would be a problem, the investigating officer replied, “We will contact you again if we proceed with a formal investigation.”

Regardless of how the investigation progresses, I plan to obtain the complaint through a freedom-of-Information request and make the grounds for the complaint public.

Since I have been facing a series of criminal complaints filed against me by the Unification Church leadership, I am exercising the utmost caution in my wording to avoid giving them any grounds for criticism.

Even so, it is hard to accept that they are filing a complaint over content I posted more than a year ago.

It would be deeply regrettable if even the ‘Segye Ilbo’ were to take action against an individual in an attempt to stifle criticism directed at the Unification Church leadership.

2026-10-29

Choi Jong-keun

[Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee]

(*As this document was generated by AI, it may contain typos or mistranslations.)

For reference, I am reposting below a selection of ‘Segye Ilbo’-related posts previously published on the Café. I hope interested members will find this information useful.

▶ Why is the ‘Segye Ilbo’ blocking the “publication of the words” of President Han Hak-ja? (2025-10-28)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1347?svc=cafeapi

▶ September 27 “emergency meeting of church leaders” regarding “True Mother’s arrest situation” — September 25 “meeting of True Family and former Association Chairmen” (2025-09-29)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1247?svc=cafeapi

▶ Unification Church leadership belatedly raises concerns regarding the Special Prosecutor’s raid on Cheon Jeong Gung — ‘Segye Ilbo’ issues “warning against the Foundation’s unjust interference in editorial rights” (2025-07-24)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1104?svc=cafeapi

▶ Yoon Young-ho’s position as presented in [Straight Talk] — requesting disclosure regarding Vice Director Jeong Won-ju’s unprincipled conduct and embezzlement (2025-07-08)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/as2X/489?svc=cafeapi

▶ The Unification Church at the mercy of Director Lee Cheong-woo’s high-handedness — Claims spreading on KakaoTalk that “Lee Cheong-woo is driving True Mother to her death” (2025-06-18)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/as2X/456?svc=cafeapi

▶ Unification Church: “We plan legal action, as the ‘overseas gambling expedition allegations’ are untrue”—calling for immediate implementation (2025-06-13)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/as2X/449?svc=cafeapi

▶ President Han Hak-ja orders Jeong Hee-taek, CEO of ‘Segye Ilbo’, to “lift the travel ban” (2025-05-19)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/983?svc=cafeapi

▶ The true identity of fraudster Director Lee Cheong-woo and scenes from the 33rd protest in front of ‘Segye Ilbo’ Headquarters (2024-12-20)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/725?svc=cafeapi