SEOUL, June 2 — A reporter who published allegations about the private life of former The Boyz member Ju Haknyeon has been indicted on defamation charges, according to prosecutors.

Star Today reported that the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office charged the reporter — identified only as “A” — without detention last month under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilisation and Information Protection. Prosecutors said the indictment followed a review of statements from the reporter, officials from Ju’s former agency One Hundred, and transcripts of conversations involving the singer.

The case stems from an article published in June last year alleging that Ju, 27, had engaged in prostitution with former Japanese adult film actress Kirara Asuka and later admitted to it after initially denying the claim. The report triggered a wave of controversy, prompting One Hundred to announce Ju’s departure from The Boyz and the termination of his exclusive contract.

At the time, the agency said it viewed the matter as serious and believed trust in the artist could not be maintained. Ju rejected the allegations, saying he had been “reported as a sex offender without any basis,” and filed legal complaints against the reporter and the media outlet.

Separately, a citizen petition seeking an investigation into the prostitution allegation was submitted through the government’s e‑People portal. However, police closed the case without referral, saying the complaint relied solely on an online article and lacked specific grounds to justify an investigation.

The reporter’s case will now proceed to trial.