Opposition Lawmakers on Science and ICT Committee: "Excluding MBC from President's Overseas Visit Is Petty Media Suppression"

On the 24th, during the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT and related audit target organizations held at the National Assembly, National Assembly officials are collecting the nameplates attached by both ruling and opposition parties. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee criticized on the 10th the exclusion of an MBC correspondent from President Yoon Seok-yeol's Southeast Asia tour as "petty and absurd media suppression."

Ten Democratic Party members of the committee issued a statement on the same day, saying, "President Yoon Seok-yeol caused a diplomatic scandal during his trip to the United States by using abusive language, and because MBC was the first to report on the controversy, he is telling them not to accompany him on the trip," adding, "The president should take responsibility and focus on preparing for the tour."

The Democratic Party members raised their voices, saying, "The president's overseas trip is funded by the people's taxes, and the president's actions on the presidential plane are naturally subjects of coverage and part of the press space," and "Banning access to the press space is a clear violation of freedom of the press and a constitutional infringement on freedom of the media." They continued, "Didn’t President Yoon Seok-yeol even allow the wife of Lee Won-mo, a civilian personnel secretary, to board the presidential plane on the previous tour?" and added, "It is contradictory to say that journalists accompanying the president for the public's right to know are not allowed."

The committee members said, "We support the president's overseas tours and diplomatic activities to achieve proper results and raise South Korea's national prestige," but also urged, "President Yoon Seok-yeol should regain his composure and focus on preparing for the overseas tour."

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