The Constitutional Court of South Korea found that an Act which penalized the distribution of obscene materials was constitutional because the relevant provision  did not violate the rule of clarity nor the prohibition on excessive restriction/principle of proportionality. However, the Court also set an important precedent in its judgment by recognizing that not all obscene materials should be refused protection under the Constitution's guarantees of freedom of expression. In so doing, the Court reasoned that an expression cannot be excluded from the boundary of protection of the freedom of expression at the outset just because it contains certain content. Instead,  it said that "insulting expressions” that may infringe on others' reputation or rights are to be protected as freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, but that such expressions can be restricted for the purpose of national security, maintenance of law and order, or public welfare.