The Democratic Party demands MBC's management resign over the ‘Kim Geon-hee body double non-disclosure controversy’

Statement by the National Assembly Science and ICT Committee on MBC PD Notebook Criticism
“Using Public Broadcasting as a Weapon for Partisan Struggles”

Former People Power Party floor leader Kwon Seong-dong held a press conference on the 28th at the MBC headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to protest the coverage of President Yoon Seok-yeol's overseas trip. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] Members of the People Power Party belonging to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee criticized MBC’s ‘PD Notebook’ over the controversy surrounding the undisclosed use of a body double for First Lady Kim Geon-hee and called for the resignation of MBC executives on the 14th.

People Power Party committee members Kwon Seong-dong, Park Seong-jung, and Yoon Doo-hyun held a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day, stating, “The MBC ‘PD Notebook’ broadcast on the 9th caused a major uproar by using a body double for the First Lady without disclosing that it was a reenactment. This is not something that can be resolved with a mere apology.”

They continued, “In addition to the body double for the First Lady, six body doubles were used to portray officials from Kookmin University. This too was undisclosed. This is a clear fabrication intended to distort viewers’ perception by passing off direction as fact.”

They also pointed out, “The broadcast claimed that the First Lady passed her thesis review in one go, but this is not true. MBC depicted it as if she had easily passed the thesis review without even minimal fact-checking,” adding, “This is a manipulated production that implies some sort of deal with Kookmin University.”

They then urged the resignation of MBC executives. They emphasized, “From the manipulation and agitation over mad cow disease to now, MBC has been abusing its role as a public broadcaster as a weapon for partisan struggle. It is no different from a ‘leaflet distribution unit’ for the Democratic Party’s propaganda,” and stressed, “MBC executives must take responsibility for this incident and resign en masse.”

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