The court determined that the reported election misconduct was not objectively proven.
Chairman Chuga Yeol restored his honor and strengthened the association's credibility through this ruling.
[TVDaily Reporter Kim Hangil] The Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA), led by Chairman Chuga Yeol, announced on December 19th that it won an appeal regarding a civil suit linked to a reward for reporting alleged election fraud. The court overturned a previous ruling that mandated a payment, citing insufficient evidence to substantiate the claims of election misconduct.
The lawsuit arose from the 2021 election for the 24th president of KOMCA, where former employee A alleged that candidate Chuga Yeol had offered 1,000,000 KRW in cash to member B in a suspicious manner. Prior to the election, the election committee had announced that rewards would be given for reports of misconduct, leading A to file for a 10,000,000 KRW reward based on this guideline, presenting a handwritten letter from Chairman Chuga Yeol as evidence.
However, while the first trial accepted the similarity of the handwriting as valid evidence, the appellate court highlighted that the letter was formatted as a greeting to multiple members. It found that no other members besides B confirmed receiving similar content, concluding that claims of misconduct were not objectively verifiable. The court stated that it is highly illogical for a candidate to attach incriminating evidence like a personal letter disclosing a cash offer, marking a pivotal moment in clearing suspicions against Chairman Chuga Yeol.
The ruling is noteworthy beyond mere legal implications, highlighting crucial aspects of transparency and trust in the Korean content industry. The circumstances surrounding this case involve the governance of KOMCA and the confidence its members hold, suggesting a heightened awareness and preventive measures for similar incidents in the future. The outcome emphasizes both social and legal accountability, indicating a potential boost in trust regarding the misconduct reporting system across the wider content industry.
Furthermore, Chairman Chuga Yeol not only restores his personal honor but also enhances the credibility of the association through this ruling. This creates a precedent for stricter standards in the operation of KOMCA and will likely impact the integrity of voting procedures involving member participation. Thus, this case could serve as a catalyst for strengthening internal oversight within KOMCA in the future.
Moreover, the incident could spark deeper societal discourse, stretching beyond the legal realm. The need for institutional reforms to ensure fair elections and sustainable growth in copyright protection and the music copyright industry is becoming increasingly urgent.
This article is KOSTAR’s reinterpretation of a story originally reported by TVDaily.
Photo: KOMCA
