"Not True, Transcript Should Be Deleted" Busan Gijang-gun Says No Basis for Local Councilor's '5-Minute Speech'

Gijang-gun Sends Official Letter Deleting Transcript of 5-Minute Free Speech at Temporary Assembly Plenary Session

Internet Media Outlet Files Complaint with Press Arbitration Commission for Publishing Speech Without Fact-Checking

Busan Gijang County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Is it that in the council’s ‘free speech,’ lies can also be freely spoken?” The Busan Gijang-gun is drawing attention as it demands the deletion of the transcript of a basic council member’s remarks.

On April 26, during the 2nd plenary session of the 257th Gijang-gun Council extraordinary meeting, Councilor Maeng Seung-ja’s 5-minute free speech was called into question.

Gijang-gun sent an official letter to the Gijang-gun Council on the 28th requesting the deletion of the transcript, stating that the remarks were not based on facts.

They also decided to file a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission against an internet media outlet that reported the remarks as they were.

The core of this controversy is that the councilor spoke as if the county governor had done something he did not, thereby damaging the governor’s honor. This raises the question of whether free speech made in the council should be preserved even if it is factually incorrect.

On April 26, during the 2nd plenary session of the 257th Gijang-gun Council extraordinary meeting, Gijang-gun sent an official letter on the 28th requesting the deletion of the transcript of Councilor Maeng Seung-ja’s 5-minute free speech, stating that it was not based on facts.

During her 5-minute free speech, Gijang-gun Councilor Maeng Seung-ja claimed, “The county governor, who loudly declared ‘absolutely impossible’ in front of the residents, secretly drafted a permit agreement with KEPCO for the transmission towers.”

Furthermore, she criticized Governor Oh Gyu-seok by stating, “He pretended to protest and oppose in front of the residents, but secretly drafted a side agreement.”

In response, Governor Oh stated, “During my tenure as county governor, I never drafted a permit agreement with KEPCO for the transmission towers.”

He also said, “I never pretended to protest or oppose while secretly drafting a side agreement, nor did I see, hear of, or order the permit agreement at that time,” and requested the deletion of the factually unfounded remarks from the transcript.

A Gijang-gun official said, “According to the confirmed administrative litigation ruling, on March 9, 2012, in accordance with Article 56 of the ‘National Land Planning and Utilization Act,’ development activities for two transmission towers within Gijang-gun were permitted.”

He added, “For the other seven towers, development permits were granted on March 12, 2012, based on agreements drafted between KEPCO and village representatives according to KEPCO’s internal regulations.”

It is known that the development permits for the remaining five towers were finalized on May 21 of the same year. The six agreements drafted between village representatives and KEPCO before March 12 include a clause stating, ‘After the approval of the remaining 12 unauthorized towers in Jeonggwan-myeon, regional support project funds will be paid according to this agreement, and all lawsuits filed against Gijang-gun will be withdrawn.’

A Gijang-gun official explained that during the transmission tower construction process, KEPCO won the lawsuit against Gijang-gun, and Gijang-gun issued the transmission permit according to the ruling, but a council member intentionally disparaged this.

On the 28th of 2021, Gijang-gun plans to file a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission against an internet media outlet that published Councilor Maeng Seung-ja’s one-sided claims in the Gijang-gun Council’s 5-minute free speech without verifying the facts with Gijang-gun.

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