Online pundit sues bogus blogger for defamation

SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- A controversial online pundit who became famous for prophetic economic postings will file a defamation complaint against a man who pretended to be him, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Park Dae-sung, 30, better known by his Internet alias "Minerva," gained a
reputation after predicting the collapse of U.S. lending giant Lehman Brothers.
His following series criticizing the government's economic policies spread
quickly through the Internet, raising curiosity about his identity.
Park was arrested at the end of last year on charges of spreading false rumors
about the government's foreign currency policy. The prosecution argued his
postings led to dollar hoarding, costing the government US$2 billion in emergency
money to stabilize the currency market.
He was acquitted by a local court in April.
A leading monthly magazine, Shin Dong-A, published an interview with someone who
claimed to be one of seven experts behind Minerva's postings, along with articles
contributed by someone using the pen name Minerva, in December and February. The
magazine later admitted that the contributor, identified only by the initial K,
was not the real Minerva and apologized.
"K defamed Park's reputation by using the name Minerva illegally," Park's
attorney said. "We request a police probe into K for defamation."
The lawyer said Park will lodge a separate complaint against an Internet cafe
manager who allegedly published Park's articles without his consent.
brk@yna.co.kr
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