Kim Eo-jun: "'#1Hapsida' Campaign as Pre-Election Campaigning? A Fresh Imagination"

Seoul Mayoral Candidates Continue 'TBS Attacks' Daily
Kim Eo-jun: "It's a Threat to Shut Us Up"

TBS '#1 Hapshida' Campaign Involved in Pre-Election Campaign Controversy of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by TBS Official YouTube Screenshot

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun targeted the People Power Party, which reported him to the prosecution on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, saying on the 11th, "The campaign is just an excuse," and "In reality, it is a threat to keep quiet out of fear."

On the same day, Kim said on TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' in the morning, "As the by-election season begins, various pledges appear. One of them is 'expelling News Factory.' The People Power Party's Media Special Committee took issue with the campaign video for TBS's YouTube channel reaching 1 million subscribers and reported me for violating the Public Official Election Act," he said.

He mocked the opposition party, saying, "The logic that the slogan 'Let's add one more subscriber' with 'Let's do 1' reminds people of the Democratic Party's candidate number 1 and is a pre-election campaign is a very creative imagination."

Kim also emphasized about the problematic campaign, "At the time of recording the campaign, I said that such a campaign is unlikely to succeed and that it is impossible to reach 1 million subscribers with this campaign," adding, "That content was actually included at the end of the video."

He continued, "If it really means candidate number 1 as interpreted by the People Power Party, then I said I would never be candidate number 1," and argued, "According to their interpretation, there is no reason to report me."

He added, "I may be expelled from the market because of my low level and poor sense, but if a certain political force tells me to keep quiet and be scared just because they don't like me, that will never happen."

Earlier, since November last year, TBS has been running the '#Let's do 1' campaign aiming to reach 1 million YouTube subscribers, featuring program hosts such as Joo Jin-woo and Kim Gyu-ri. In the video, they say, "We have to work (1)," "Let's do 1," urging viewers to subscribe to YouTube.

Afterwards, suspicions arose mainly from the opposition party that "TBS conducted a pre-election campaign ahead of the by-election." The number '1' marked in mint color was pointed out to remind people of the Democratic Party's blue and 'candidate number 1.' Opposition Seoul mayoral candidates such as Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People Party, former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, and Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University also criticized 'News Factory' as a 'pre-election campaign.'

As the controversy grew, TBS announced on the 4th, "We accept some criticisms that it may cause unnecessary misunderstandings ahead of the by-election and will suspend the campaign as of today."

Meanwhile, the National Election Commission concluded on the 8th that it is "difficult to see it as a violation of the Public Official Election Act" regarding the TBS campaign controversy and closed the case.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.