Earlier this week on January 23 KST, the South Korean Supreme Court ruled that the Netflix documentary, 'In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal', was not responsible for damages incurred by the pseudo-religious cult Agadongsan and its leader, Kim Ki Soon.
'In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal' (directed by Jo Sung Hyun), released on Netflix in March of 2023, followed the controversies surrounding Agadongsan and its leader Kim Ki Soon in episodes 5 and 6. The documentary raised accusations that Kim Ki Soon and Agadongsan forced believers into hard labor, and that anyone who refused was beaten, with some missing believers suspected of being beaten to death.
Following the documentary's release, Agadongsan sued the documentary, claiming that the series was spreading false rumors and misinformation. During the initial and the appeal trials, the district court ruled in favor of the documentary series, concluding, "The footage aired through the documentary does not explicitly claim that Kim Ki Soon murdered the victims or ordered for their murder. In episode 6, the documentary also states that the police found Kim not guilty of murder. Therefore, it is difficult to say that this footage spread misinformation or that it counts as a disrespectful and humiliating personal attack against Kim."
Now, as of January 23 KST, the South Korean Supreme Court has decided to maintain the rulings by the initial and appeal trials, dismissing Agadongsan's lawsuit.
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