By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

Online commentator Park Dae-sung, better known by the penname, Minerva, filed a complaint against a monthly magazine claiming it was spreading false information about him, Park's lawyers said Friday.

They lodged the complaint against the Sindonga, a publication of the DongA Ilbo daily, with the Press Arbitration Commission, on behalf of the blogger, who has been indicted on charges of spreading false financial rumors on Daum's Agora Web site.

The commission, established in 1981, serves as a mediator to resolve disputes caused by press reports.

In the statement, Park's lawyers said, ``Every piece of evidence confirmed by the prosecution supports there is no other Minerva but Park. But the magazine has groundlessly claimed he's a phony, significantly defaming the 31-year-old.''

In its January edition, released two weeks ago, the magazine carried an interview with an individual identified only as ``K,'' who claimed Minerva was a shared ID among seven financial experts and the arrested blogger was not involved.

``The groundless report made people suspect that Park was crazy and a swindler. He is afraid that he will not be able to lead a normal life,'' said lawyer Park Chan-jong. ``It's an undeniable duty for the media company to deliver accurate information, so the magazine should take responsibility for the false report.''

Apart from the petition, the lawyers urged the magazine to publish a retraction in its next edition. In response, the magazine said a follow-up report is to be published in February.

The lawyers plan to file a libel suit if the arbitration is unsatisfactory.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr