"Was My USIM Data Also Hacked?" 9,000 SKT Subscribers File Suit as Danielle Damages Case Begins [This Week's Court Schedule]

[Financial News] From December 23 to 27, a series of trials involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife will be held in court. Yoon’s trial over allegations that he made false statements during the presidential campaign will move into full swing, and the appellate trial of First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who is accused of involvement in the Unification Church bribery case and the Deutsche Motors stock-manipulation scandal, will also enter substantive hearings. Major civil cases are likewise on the docket, including a 43-billion-won damages lawsuit between ADOR (All Doors One Room) and NewJeans member Danielle, and a class action seeking damages over the SK Telecom USIM data leak.
According to the legal community on the 22nd, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 21, presided over by Judge Cho Soon-pyo, will hold the first trial hearing on the 23rd in Yoon Suk Yeol’s case on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act. Yoon is accused of having made false statements in a media interview in January 2022 regarding Jeon Seong-bae, the shaman known as Geonjin. Under the election law, a candidate can be punished if he or she makes false statements in a media interview for the purpose of winning the election.
In that interview, he allegedly made a false statement to the effect that "I was introduced to Mr. Jeon, but I have never met him together with my wife," and he is also accused of having publicly denied, at a 2021 Kwanhun Club debate, that he had introduced a lawyer for Woo Jin Yun, former head of the Yongsan Tax Office and the older brother of a junior prosecutor from his time at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea (SPO). Prosecutors say these denials amount to the publication of false information.
The appellate trial of Kim Keon Hee will also move forward in earnest. On the 25th, the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 15-2, with Judges Shin Jong-oh, Sung Eon-joo, and Won Ik-seon on the bench, will hold the first appeal hearing in Kim’s case on charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act. At this hearing, the special prosecutor and the defense are expected to fully state their grounds for appeal, followed by examination of documentary evidence and questioning of a Korea Exchange employee who will testify as a witness for the special prosecutor. The court is considering closing arguments at the second hearing on January 8, and, if necessary, has left open the possibility of an additional hearing on the 27th. If the schedule holds, a verdict is expected on April 28.
On the same day, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 34, presided over by Sung-Jin Han, will open the first trial in the case involving People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho, who is suspected of involvement in a rebellion. Choo is accused of having changed the location of a party caucus three times between the National Assembly and party headquarters on December 3, the day of the emergency martial law declaration, in order to obstruct the National Assembly vote to lift martial law and thereby make it difficult for many lawmakers to participate in the vote.
Key civil cases will also enter the substantive argument stage. On the 26th, Civil Division 31 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Nam In-soo, will hold the first preparatory hearing in the 43-billion-won damages lawsuit filed by ADOR against NewJeans member Danielle of NewJeans and her family, as well as former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, and will organize the issues in dispute. ADOR maintains that Danielle and Min should be held liable for losses it claims to have suffered in the process of terminating Danielle’s exclusive contract and suspending her activities.
That same day, Civil Division 30 of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Kim Seok-beom, will hold the first hearing in a damages lawsuit filed by 9,166 consumers over the SK Telecom Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) data leak. The plaintiffs argue that they face real harm and emotional distress due to the risk of USIM cloning, the possibility that the leaked data could be used for crimes, and restrictions on the use of financial services, and they are each seeking 500,000 won in compensation for emotional damages.
scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter