Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
Who is the real comedian?
By Kim Rahn
A legislator is drawing fire from netizens and Twitter users for filing a defamation suit against a comedian for his remarks ridiculing lawmakers.
Rep. Kang Yong-seok filed the suit Thursday against comedian Choi Hyo-jong, 25, claiming that his comments during a comedy show collectively defamed lawmakers, according to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office.
Not only comedians, but citizens and even fellow legislators are criticizing Kang for taking the joke too seriously. Kang recently received a suspended prison term for his sexist remarks against TV announcers.
In KBS’s popular comedy show “Gag Concert” on Nov. 2, Choi said, “It is easy to become a lawmaker. You only need to get close to ruling party leaders, become a candidate under the party’s ticket and run for election in a district which is the ruling party’s stronghold.”
He continued, “Then you go to traditional markets you’ve rarely visited before, shake hands with senior citizens, and eat soup with rice, which you don’t usually eat, at a shabby restaurant.”
On campaign pledges, Choi said, “You can promise to establish a bridge or open a subway station. Is it impossible to keep the promise? Don’t worry, you don’t need to keep it but just say you will.”
Kang said such remarks are subject to collective defamation, for which up to a one year of prison term or 2 million won fine can be handed out _ a crime which was first acknowledged in Korea in Kang’s case on defamation of announcers.