Foreign court mandates the withdrawal of legal action by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against broadcaster MBC, concerning the leak of Yoon's hot microphone recording.

In a surprising turn of events, the Seoul High Court has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to drop a lawsuit against broadcaster MBC. This decision comes in relation to a media dispute over former President Yoon Suk Yeol's controversial remarks caught on a hot mic during his visit to the United States in 2022.

The court's order is under a compulsory mediation, also known as a "decision in lieu of conciliation." This means that the court finds it desirable that the dispute be settled amicably, considering factors such as the freedom of the press, expression, social costs, and potential side effects.

The court's decision does not include any penalties or fines for MBC or the foreign ministry. However, both parties are instructed to comply with the court's orders. MBC is instructed to consent to the court's decision, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is instructed to withdraw the lawsuit.

The court's order does not specify the exact nature of the controversy surrounding the former president's remarks. However, experts interpret the subtitles provided by MBC as suggesting that Yoon used vulgar language when mentioning then US President Joe Biden. In contrast, Yoon's office claims the word used in his controversial remarks was in reference to the South Korean National Assembly.

The lower court had previously ordered MBC to correct its report, a decision that MBC had challenged in January 2024. Despite this challenge, the court found that the evidence provided by the foreign ministry was not sufficient to prove the news report was false.

If neither party files an objection within two weeks, the compulsory mediation becomes final. This means that the dispute, which has been a source of contention for many months, may finally be coming to a close, subject to the parties' compliance with the court's orders.