Ex-manager of broadcaster Park Na-rae denies extortion charges at first trial

The former manager of broadcaster Park Na-rae, indicted and held in detention on charges of demanding hundreds of millions of won in exchange for not exposing her private life, denied most of the charges at his first trial hearing Tuesday.

At the hearing before Judge Kim Su-gyeong of Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 4, the defense for the former manager, identified only by his surname Shin, argued that his demands for money were a legitimate exercise of his rights — specifically, claims for severance pay and other compensation owed after his departure. The defense also denied that Shin had engaged in any threatening conduct or harbored any intent to obtain money through improper means.

Shin is accused of demanding 250 million won ($184,000) from Park — equivalent to 10 percent of the company's sales — under the guise of an incentive payment, and of threatening to expose details of her private life to the media, including allegations of verbal abuse, sexual harassment and improperly obtained prescription drugs, if she refused to pay.

When Park's side declined to pay, Shin allegedly tipped off media outlets about the allegations and then renewed his demands for money, though he ultimately received nothing.

Shin also faces embezzlement and computer fraud charges for allegedly transferring about 44 million won from Park's corporate account to his own company's account without authorization, and for directing a contract advance payment owed to Park into his own account instead.

At Tuesday's hearing, Shin's attorney denied the main charges while acknowledging some minor ones. "In the case of the joint extortion charge, this was a legitimate exercise of his right to claim money he was rightfully owed after leaving the job," the attorney said. "He never linked media tips to payment demands, nor did he demand anything close to 500 million won."

On the computer fraud charge, the attorney said the transferred funds were paid in accordance with a performance bonus agreement and that Shin had not personally made the transfers. On the embezzlement charge related to event expenses, the attorney added that the transfers were made with the prior consent of the victim and that no intent to unlawfully appropriate the funds could be established.

Meanwhile, a co-defendant identified as Lee, who is standing trial without being held in detention, did not state a specific position on the charges Tuesday. Lee's side said it had not yet finished reviewing the investigation records and would submit its views on the charges and evidence before the next hearing.

Park filed a police complaint in December last year, alleging that Shin and others had fabricated claims and demanded large sums of money to keep her silent, while also committing embezzlement.

The court set the next hearing for Oct. 20 at 10:20 a.m.