’Naggomsu’ urged to be more responsible

By Yi Whan-woo

Hosts of a popular podcast “dedicated to ridicule” President Lee Myung-bak are coming under greater political pressure as the program has become a powerful outlet for challenging the mainstream conservative media.

Their comments and gestures gain greater and greater public attention as liberal politicians throng to appear on the show ahead of the April general elections.

As its popularity grows among the younger generation, the hosts face louder calls to be more responsible and unbiased in dealing with politically sensitive issues.

Analysts say the recent controversy over their encouragement of the so-called “bikini protest” against the imprisonment of their colleague, Chung Bong-ju, a former opposition lawmaker, represents an amateurish attitude.

The prosecution is also moving to investigate possible wrongdoings involving the hosts. Last week, it raided the IT firm that operates the server for the program — a move fans said was politically motivated to stifle the show.

The program, “Naneun Ggomsuda” (I’m a petty trickster), has become impossible to ignore by conservative politicians and mainstream media ahead of the crucial elections.

It is exercising more influence over conventional media by drawing a phenomenal reaction from eligible voters in their 20s to 40s.

The show lampoons Lee’s governing style and raises speculations about him and his aides. The program, hosted by Kim Ou-joon, 43, has fulfilled the taste of the younger generation by throwing sarcastic verbal jabs.

Since its launch in April last year, it has been downloaded by millions. Most of the fans have found an outlet for their negative feelings toward President Lee and the ruling camp.

It drew more attention when Chung Bong-ju, one of the three panelists was put behind bars in December for spreading false rumors.

Some opposition politicians sided with Chung who was seen as a scapegoat in the Lee government’s efforts to stifle freedom of speech.

Hang Myung-sook, 68, a former prime minister set to run in the parliamentary elections in April, said she will “fight for Chung” after she was found not guilty in January of allegedly receiving bribes.

“There should not be another Chung Bong-ju or another Han Myung-sook as victims of the prosecutors,” she said.

“I’ll fight to until the very last moment against the injustice which Chung is enduring,” she said.

The podcasts influence was felt in the Seoul mayoral by-election in October last year when Park Won-soon, a former civic activist, won the race beating GNP candidate Na Kyung-won.

Na had almost three times fewer votes than Park among those in their 20s to 40s, following disparaging news reported by “Naggomsu.”

The show revealed Na had received luxury skin care treatment for an annual membership fee of 100 million won ($89,000). While she gave the excuse that the membership was to treat her disabled daughter, a large number of voters turned their backs on her.

The aftermath of Chung’s imprisonment also kept the eyes of the mainstream media firmly planted on “Naggomsu” as listeners appealed for the release of Chung.