Kim Eo-jun's 'News Factory' defended by Choo... "Disparaging disabled people" "Will step up again" Fierce criticism from opposition party

(From left to right, clockwise) Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hye-young, Kim Geun-sik, professor at Gyeongnam National University and head of the Songpa-byeong district party committee in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae defended Kim Eo-jun, the host of the TBS traffic radio program "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," by using the term "one-eyed." In response, Jang Hye-young, a Justice Party lawmaker, immediately demanded a correction and apology, calling it "a derogatory remark against people with disabilities." Following this, Kim Geun-sik, professor at Gyeongnam National University and chairman of the Songpa-byeong district party committee in Seoul, also referred to former Minister Choo's remarks as "the top contributor to next year's regime change," adding, "It would be better if you stayed quiet, but you are stepping forward again."

Earlier, on the 24th, former Minister Choo defended "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," which has recently been under scrutiny for fairness issues, through Facebook.

She said, "The problem is not that News Factory is politically biased, but that the media are too caught up in 'media commercialism,'" adding, "Almost all media have sided with vested interests such as conglomerates, capital, prosecutors, and political power, so there must be at least one broadcast based on facts, respecting citizens' right to know, and telling the truth."

She further claimed that this is exactly what TBS's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" is, stating, "Unlike media that report with one eye, criticizing News Factory, which reports with both eyes, is wrong."

Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hye-young posted a message on her Facebook on the 24th criticizing former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's remarks defending Kim Eo-jun. [Photo by Facebook]

In response, lawmaker Jang criticized, "Former Minister Choo's words are clearly derogatory remarks against people with disabilities."

On the same day, Jang urged former Minister Choo on her Facebook page, "I demand an immediate correction and a sincere apology for the derogatory expression against people with disabilities."

She pointed out, "Hate speech against people with disabilities by politicians from both ruling and opposition parties rarely improves despite repeated criticism and continues endlessly." She also said, "One can express their political views without using derogatory expressions against disabilities," and added, "Since you have publicly emphasized the necessity of the Anti-Discrimination Act several times, I hope you accept criticism of your discriminatory remarks and show a model of improvement."

Professor Kim Geun-sik also posted on his Facebook page criticizing former Minister Choo's "defense of Kim Eo-jun" remarks.

Professor Kim said, "Following the defense of Cho Kuk, now stepping up as Kim Eo-jun's guardian angel makes you the top contributor to next year's regime change, so it's not bad for us, but you should speak properly," continuing his remarks.

He strongly criticized, "'News Factory' is not faithful to facts but a senseless broadcast that only sends baseless negative information without fact-checking." He also said, "It is not telling the truth but producing 'alternative facts' that the hardcore Moon Jae-in supporters and Cho Kuk defenders want to believe."

He continued his criticism, saying, "Kim Eo-jun, who smells conspiracy in the reporter conference of Grandma Lee Yong-soo; Kim Eo-jun, who, whether true or not, wants to blow up Oh Se-hoon's Ferragamo first; Kim Eo-jun, who shamelessly features Cho Kuk's daughter despite no document forgery."

Representatives from the Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Peer Support Center for Mental Disabilities continued their remarks at a press conference for a disability discrimination relief lawsuit regarding a lawmaker's 'disparaging remarks about disabilities' held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 20th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, derogatory remarks against disabilities and people with disabilities are commonly found in the political sphere. Such expressions are mainly used to criticize or belittle opponents by comparing them to disabilities or people with disabilities. Representative examples include "congenital disabled person," "lame," "one-eyed," and "mute who has swallowed honey." These are incorrect expressions stemming from the distorted perception that disability is a subject of criticism.

Whenever such remarks occur, fierce public criticism is directed at the political sphere, disability organizations file complaints with the National Human Rights Commission, and the commission recommends measures to prevent recurrence. However, these remain mere recommendations, and politicians' derogatory remarks against people with disabilities continue. In response, disability organizations such as the Research Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities announced on the 20th that they will file a public interest lawsuit seeking relief from discrimination against lawmakers who made derogatory remarks against people with disabilities.

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