SNU law professor says reports on actor Cho Jin-woong’s juvenile record go too far
Cho Jin-woong / Hankook Ilbo file
A Seoul National University law professor criticized media reports that revealed actor Cho Jin-woong’s past as a juvenile offender, saying the coverage violated the spirit of juvenile justice and unfairly pushed him into retirement.
Han In-sup, professor emeritus at Seoul National University School of Law, wrote on Facebook on Sunday that Cho’s decision to retire “is a very wrong solution,” arguing that the real subject of criticism should be the outlet that dug up decades-old records. “The media that attempted to bury a person alive by unearthing a past from decades ago deserves stern criticism,” he said, referring to entertainment outlet Dispatch.
Han emphasized that Cho had already faced legal consequences in his youth. “Cho Jin-woong made mistakes as an adolescent and received appropriate legal sanctions,” he said. “Juvenile justice imposes punishment while also enhancing opportunities for education and reform so that young people do not continue down the path of crime. This is the defining feature of the juvenile justice system.”
He added that Cho’s later accomplishments should be seen as exemplary. “The fact that the boy did not remain trapped in his dark past and instead worked for decades to reach a level of social recognition is something to be praised,” he wrote. “He can serve as an excellent guide and role model for young people still wandering in the dark.”
Han also condemned the media’s handling of Cho’s past record. “If someone, for any reason — whether personal, political or sensational — drags out a decades-old history to destroy a person’s current achievements, society should direct its criticism not at the entertainer, but at the media,” he said.
Regarding Cho’s sudden retirement announcement, Han expressed regret. “For Cho Jin-woong to halt all activities in response to such attempts is a very wrong solution,” he said. “He should stand tall and rise to face this.”
Attorney Kim Jae-ryeon also pointed out earlier this week that the coverage violated the purpose of the Juvenile Act. Writing on Facebook on Friday, she said the law is designed “to correct the behavior of youths with antisocial tendencies and help them grow into healthy adults,” adding that naming an actor who has since become an adult “runs counter to the purpose of the Juvenile Act.”
Cho announced his retirement on Saturday night, a day after Dispatch reported allegations about his conduct as a teenager. “I deeply apologize to everyone who trusted and supported me despite my disgraceful past," he said through his agency, adding, “As of today, I will halt all activities and bring my acting career to an end.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.