Yu-na files defamation complaint

By Yun Suh-young

Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na has lodged a defamation lawsuit against a professor who called her teaching practice a “show.”

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office confirmed Kim’s lawsuit against Hwang Sang-min, a psychology professor at Yonsei University, Wednesday.

Hwang, 50, said on a radio program on May 22 that Kim’s teaching practice experience was merely a show because she skipped classes and didn’t deserve it.

Kim, 22, who is majoring in physical education at Korea University, started teaching from May 8 at Jin-seon Girls’ High School in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, as part of the curriculum for an education major.

Reactions have turned favorably toward Hwang following news of Kim’s legal action against the professor.

Hwang told a sports entertainment channel that he was misinterpreted.

“I didn’t criticize her teaching practice but the attitude of colleges and our society regarding this. Colleges are using sports stars for commercial purposes and the core value of education is being ignored. I was criticizing that phenomenon,” he told OSEN, an entertainment media outlet.

Kim’s lawyers, however, said that the defamation suit was necessary as the professor spoke of Kim as if he knew a lot about her and did not apologize for the comments.