Court orders more detail in Yung case
NEXT Magazine must provide more details of its defence to Mr Larry Yung Chi-king, the chairman and managing director of CITIC Pacific, who is suing it for defamation, the Court of Appeal ruled yesterday.
Mr Yung claims he was libelled in an article written in Chinese in the January 31, 1992 issue. He says his reputation has been damaged and he has suffered loss and damage.
Mr Yung alleges words used were understood to mean that when acquiring Hang Chong Investment Company, he had resorted to vicious and disreputable tactics that could be compared with the behaviour of a savage dog; that during the acquisition his conduct had been dishonourable, offending wealthy Hongkong people; and that when news had spread to Beijing the conduct had been seriously disapproved of and his father had flown to Hongkong to chastise him.
The magazine says the words have been mis-translated and are not defamatory.
In a reserved judgement, Mr Justice Nazareth said the magazine's proprietors, its editor Mr Leung Tin-wai and publisher Mr Yeung Wai-hong must provide its own translation.
The court struck out the part of the magazine's defence claiming justification.
Costs were awarded to Mr Yung, represented by Mr Robert Tang QC, who was appealing against a decision made by Mr Justice Leong in December. Mr Martin Lee QC appeared for Next magazine.
