‘Question of Kim Gwang-seok’s murder’ ended in witch hunt

Witch hunt during the Middle Ages of Europe usually targeted rich widows. The fourth method to sort out witches is Wasserprobe, which is dropping the accused person after tying them up. As water symbolizes cleanness, people at that time believed that a witch would float as water would discard the witch. If the accused person drowned to death, her suspicion got cleared, and burnt at the stake if she floated. Either way, the accused person would lose her life and have her wealth confiscated.

Lee Sang-ho, a reporter of Gobal News, and related personnel in the movie industry, who questioned the death of the late singer Kim Gwang-seok, were prosecuted for alleged defamation. As a result of investigating 46 people related to the case and evidential records, the Seoul District Police Agency announced on Tuesday that it came to a conclusion that the arguments made by Lee and others through the movie “Kim Gwang-seok” and social media. The police have cleared all allegations on Seo that she was under suspicion of murdering Kim Gwang-seok; took away the copyright from family-in-laws; neglected the daughter to death; and murdered a nine-month-old baby.

Ms. Seo, is practically stigmatized as a “witch” who led her husband and daughter to death due to the suspicion raised by Lee and netizens who followed Mr. Lee’s line. In a poll, she was chosen as the number one unlikable person in the culture and social sector. With the responses by congressmen of the ruling party, reinvestigation of the case was requested at last year’s parliamentary inspection. The evidential data submitted by Lee, however, was all statements that question the late singer’s death. Unlike the argument that Seo’s brother, who has a criminal record of committing more than 10 crimes, he was not only absent at the scene but also did not have any criminal record.

Tracking the death of a famous singer is possible but driving the singer’s wife as a murderer is completely different. The movie “Kim Gwang-seok” is made in the form of a documentary film but the comments of experts were “edited,” revealed the police. Also for the Sewol ferry disaster, Lee brought up the diving bell conspiracy and even made a movie. This kind of people ignore the sacredness of fact and create a provocative spark to spread their ideology or belief. The fire that has been built on such spark made someone into a victim but in the end engulfed them as well like a boomerang.


Kee-Hong Lee sechepa@donga.com