Science and ICT Committee Audit, MBC 'Biden' Subtitle Dispute... Ruling Party "Ignoring Reporting Guidelines" Opposition "Gagging the Media"

Last Month on the 22nd, Controversy Erupted Over President Yoon's Remarks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] At the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission, the issue of MBC's reporting, which first broke the "profanity controversy" that arose during President Yoon Seok-yeol's visit to the United States, became a focal point.

On the 6th, during the audit, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Young-sik cited the Broadcast Journalists' Code of Ethics and stated, "MBC ignored the reporting code and guidelines, which appears to be intentional," adding, "Not only did they broadcast manipulated content, but they also sent inquiry letters to the White House conveying such false information as if to sow discord between Korea and the United States."

People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Doo-hyun also argued, "Freedom of the press is the freedom to convey the truth, not the freedom to lie," and said, "If there are differing opinions, they can be displayed together (in subtitles). That is the basic principle."

On the 22nd of last month, during President Yoon's visit to the U.S., footage captured by the press showed him speaking to his aides as he left the venue of the 7th Global Fund Replenishment Conference hosted by President Biden in New York. At that time, MBC reported the incident with the subtitle, "(If) these XX in the (U.S.) Congress don't approve it, Biden will be embarrassed." The presidential office raised an issue with MBC's report, stating that the word was not "Biden" but "if it fails."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae criticized, saying, "Through official documents sent by the presidential office to MBC regarding this matter, it raises suspicions of attempting to censor the media." Referring to media reports that a tax investigation on MBC has begun, Park said, "In my view, MBC was the first to dive into the sea of truth, and they are trying to muzzle the press by making the first penguin an example."

Lawmaker Go Min-jung stated, "The People Power Party has filed a complaint against MBC, but we need to examine whether the profanity was real or not, and what judgment Kim Eun-hye, the chief of public relations who was present at the scene, made," and demanded the adoption of Kim and Kim Young-tae, the Secretary for External Cooperation, as witnesses for the audit.

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