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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SEOUL, July 25, 2024 — South Korean game developer Wemade Co., Ltd. (CEO Kwan-ho Park) announced it has won a defamation lawsuit against Professor Jung-Hyun Wi, head of the Korea Game Society and professor at Chung-Ang University, over false statements regarding Wemade’s virtual asset ‘Wemix.’
On July 24, the court ruled in favor of Wemade, ordering Professor Wi to pay KRW 30 million in damages.
Since May 2023, Professor Wi had repeatedly claimed through press interviews, public statements, and forums that Wemade engaged in lobbying activities related to Wemix and play-to-earn (P2E) initiatives. The Korea Game Society also issued statements suggesting “Wemix lobbying” under terms such as “Wemix scandal” and “Wemix profit community,” which sparked strong backlash from the company.
Wemade filed a criminal complaint for defamation against Professor Wi and subsequently launched a civil damages lawsuit seeking KRW 500 million.
In a statement, Wemade said:
“Professor Wi’s irresponsible false claims caused enormous damage to Wemade over the years, leading to prosecutorial and parliamentary investigations into the so-called ‘coin gate’ and unfairly branding us as a ‘company engaging in illegal lobbying with cryptocurrency.’ This resulted in immeasurable reputational harm.”
The company continued:
“Despite these challenges, Wemade has remained committed to pioneering the blockchain industry. The court’s ruling confirms that Professor Wi’s allegations about Wemade’s lobbying activities were entirely false. We hope this decision will help restore our reputation and convey our genuine commitment to building a transparent society through blockchain.”
Professor Wi is reportedly planning to appeal the ruling.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
