"Don't Be Afraid! Keep Going" vs "Kim Eo-jun's Harm Is Too Great" Lawmakers Clash Over 'News Factory' Cancellation

"Broadcast Suppression Will Not Happen," "Kim Eo-jun Is a Broadcaster Based on Facts," Ruling Party Supports
"A Publicly Funded Broadcast Acts as a Regime's Mouthpiece," Opposition Criticizes
Kim Eo-jun: "A Certain Political Faction Wants Us to Shut Up... That Won't Happen"

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun, who hosts TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory.' Kim and 'News Factory' have recently been involved in a controversy over biased broadcasting. / Photo by TBS Broadcasting Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a war of nerves over broadcaster Kim Eo-jun and TBS Radio's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" (News Factory), amid controversy over "biased broadcasting."

The Democratic Party of Korea has come out in defense of Kim Eo-jun on the grounds that "freedom of broadcasting must be guaranteed," while voices from the opposition have said, "The harm is too great."

On the 12th, Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Cheong-rae wrote on his Facebook, "Kim Eo-jun, don't be scared," emphasizing, "Are you going to abolish 'News Factory'? Do you think you can suppress broadcasting oppression? That won't happen."

Jung also cited Article 4 of the Broadcasting Act, saying, "Freedom and independence of broadcasting programming are guaranteed. No one can impose any regulation or interference on broadcasting programming except as provided by this Act or other laws," and added, "I order Kim Eo-jun: don't be scared, keep going." This appears to be directed at some opposition figures calling for the abolition of the program hosted by Kim.

This is not the first time Democratic Party lawmakers have defended Kim's broadcast. Earlier, on the 31st of last month, Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho also defended Kim in a Facebook post.

Woo said at the time, "It is already known that Kim Eo-jun's tendencies and style differ from those of typical journalists," but emphasized, "Kim Eo-jun is a broadcaster who clearly has a philosophy of revealing his tendencies but basing them on facts. He is constantly being accused and sued, but that is also the secret to his survival."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Democratic Party of Korea / Photo by Yonhap News

He also pointed out, "I believe some hosts or panelists on certain comprehensive cable TV channels are much more biased and prone to hearsay-style claims than Kim Eo-jun."

Earlier, opposition figures who declared their intention to run in the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election criticized Kim's broadcast as "politically biased."

Kim Geun-sik, professor at Gyeongnam National University and head of the People Power Party's Songpa-byeong district in Seoul, wrote on Facebook on the 4th, "A broadcast operated with taxpayers' money blatantly acts as a mouthpiece for the ruling party," and argued, "Kim Eo-jun and the traffic broadcast should be abolished and dismantled in the name of Seoul citizens."

However, on the 11th, Professor Kim corrected himself, saying, "A broadcast abolition pledge should not be made. If the pledge is to expel 'a single broadcaster' Kim Eo-jun, that is the same as media control," but added, "However, as a pledge aligned with guaranteeing TBS's independence, I pledge to completely stop the Seoul city's annual support fund of 40 billion won during my term."

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop strongly criticized the 'News Factory' hosted by Mr. Kim, saying it "is extremely biased and causing great harm." / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop strongly criticized "News Factory" on the 31st of last month, saying, "Its bias is extreme and appears in various ways, causing great harm," and added, "I fundamentally believe politics should not influence the media, but Kim Eo-jun is an exception."

As the ruling and opposition parties' controversy over "News Factory" deepens, Kim responded, saying it was a threat from the opposition to "be scared and shut up."

On the morning of the 11th, on TBS's "News Factory," Kim said, "As the by-election season arrives, various pledges are appearing, one of which is 'expelling News Factory,'" and emphasized, "I may be expelled from the market because I am low-level and lack sense, but if a certain political force tells me to shut up and be scared just because they don't like me, that will never happen."

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