Sexist remarks on YouTube show cause stir

Rhyu Si-min, right, a liberal pundit talks with Jang Yong-jin, center, an Aju Business Daily reporter, about the prosecution and KBS reporters during a video on Rhyu's YouTube channel, Tuesday. They are under fire following Jang's sexist remarks about a female reporter. / Captured from YouTube

By Bahk Eun-ji

Sexist remarks about a female reporter on a YouTube show run by former politician and liberal writer Rhyu Si-min have caused anger, prompting journalists' groups to file protests.

During the live broadcast of “Alileo” on Tuesday, a male reporter from the Aju Business Daily, surnamed Jang, said prosecutors had leaked information about the investigation into former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's family to a KBS reporter because they were attracted to her.

“There were prosecutors who liked the KBS reporter, so they leaked everything to her … I'm not sure if the prosecutors had feelings for her or not, but they were very close,” the reporter said, mentioning the KBS reporter's name.

When Jang made the remarks, Rhyu did not stop him. But at the end of the show, Rhyu said Jang's remarks could cause misunderstanding and be regarded as sexual harassment.

Jang then said he would like to apologize if his remarks made people feel uncomfortable.

“I had no intention to offend,” he said. “But it is something reporters talk about a lot in private.”

The show's production staff also officially apologized to the KBS reporter and deleted the comments from the video clip of the show.

However, the KBS reporters' association strongly criticized Jang's remarks and released a statement Wednesday urging Rhyu to take responsibility.

“The comment was clearly sexual harassment,” the association said. “Such remarks were aired on a channel ― which has 990,000 subscribers ― without any hesitation or censorship.

“The reporter who made such remarks should reflect on how his thoughtless words could hurt not only the KBS reporter but also other female reporters out there who devote themselves to their work. We will keep an eye on him to see if he still has common sense and a conscience as an intellectual, which he has been calling himself.”

The female reporters' group within KBS also said the remarks reflect the chronic sexual discrimination that disparages female reporters' ability.

“It is an insult beyond all female reporters to all women,” the group said. “When a female reporter is passionate, you (men) say she 'sells herself.' When she stays busy covering stories, you say she 'takes advantage of her appearance.' When she gets trust from sources, you say she 'may have lured them.' We regret such viewpoints.”

The Journalists Association of Korea also criticized Rhyu's channel and Jang's remarks.

“Since the #MeToo movement, Korea has been changing into a healthier society, especially when it comes to gender equality,” the association said. “Despite the social changes, we are ashamed to observe there are still people that have such an outdated mindset and who make inappropriate comments.”

It also said Jang's remark that other reporters talked about such things a lot in private were shocking.

As the controversy intensified, Rhyu apologized to the female KBS reporter and viewers of his channel.

He said it was his fault that he did not immediately rectify the remarks. He also vowed to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

But the Korea Woman Journalists Association said Rhyu's written apology was not enough. It said he should officially apologize on his YouTube show.

“What they did during the broadcast is just violence and abuse of human rights, as they didn't regard female reporters as either their fellow reporters or professionals,” the association said. “They just took female reporters as some target of sexual harassment.”

Earlier this month, Rhyu was at odds with KBS over accusations he made on his YouTube show. He claimed that KBS reporters interviewed the asset manager of Cho's wife, one of the key suspects in the corruption scandal, and passed on parts of the interview to the prosecution instead of airing it.