In the world of Korean journalism, there has been an established tradition of protecting the anonymity of those accused of crimes. So when two different, esteemed Korean newspapers went against the grain and published photos of serial killer Kang Ho-Sun, there was a stir.
Both papers — the Chosun Ilbo and Joongang Ilbo — attested that they had good reasons to reveal the identity of the killer and that they did thorough research and interviews and went over the pros and cons before making the decision to print his photo. There are strict laws on defamation in Korea and the two papers, if the man chooses to sue, could be hit with lawsuits.
Should we protect the identity of criminals? No matter how heinous their deeds, should we protect their rights? Is it indeed defamation when they truthfully publish a story revealing the identity of the criminal, or does a person give up those rights when they harm another person?
