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| Union members at broadcaster MBC stage a rally against ruling People Power Party lawmakers' visit to their office on Sept. 28, 2022. The lawmakers made the visit in protest against the broadcaster's media coverage of President Yoon Suk Yeol's hot mic incident. Joint Press Corps |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Violence and harassment towards media professionals were listed among significant challenges to human rights in Korea in a report released by the U.S. Department of State, Monday (local time).
The annual report on human rights referred to several events that took place here in 2022 including the presidential office's decision to ban a major broadcaster from boarding the presidential jet in response to media coverage of President Yoon Suk Yeol's hot mic incident.
"On Nov. 10 (2022), the presidential office stated it had barred MBC from boarding the presidential aircraft to cover an overseas trip because of its 'repeated distorted and biased coverage of foreign policy issues recently,'" the report read, describing the incident as "violence and harassment on freedom of expression."
It added, "Eight media workers' organizations released a joint statement that called the decision 'clear defiance of the Constitution that guarantees press freedom.'"
During Yoon's trip to New York in September, his alleged use of foul language was caught on a hot mic in an official MBC video released on YouTube. In the footage, Yoon appeared to be saying the word "Biden," ― which the presidential office later denied ― as well as a Korean word meaning "idiots" as he was talking about U.S. lawmakers.
Yoon's aides and ruling party lawmakers defended him, saying that it was unclear what the president actually said due to background noise. The presidential spokeswoman said that Yoon was referring to Korean lawmakers, not the U.S. congress, which to the public at large was an unconvincing explanation.
In November, the presidential office barred MBC reporters from boarding the presidential jet to cover Yoon's trip for the ASEAN summit, saying that the broadcaster's "malicious" report had put the country's security at risk by damaging its relations with a key foreign partner.
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| President Yoon Suk Yeol, alongside first lady Kim Keon-hee, waves at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Nov. 11, 2022, before departing for Cambodia to attend an ASEAN summit. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hun |
It is the first time for the annual report published under the incumbent Joe Biden administration to call out the Korean government over harassment and violence towards the media.
In its previous reports, Korea was described as a country where "media were active and expressed a wide variety of views" although it had faced some constraints in 2021 due to assembly movements to pass controversial amendments to the Press Arbitration Act.
The latest report also pointed out that the Korean government and public figures used libel and slander laws ― which broadly define and criminalize defamation ― to restrict public discussion and harass, intimidate, or censor private and media expression.
It noted that in June last year, a Seoul court fined former Health Minister and liberal political commentator Rhyu Si-min for making false comments regarding Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon on his YouTube channel in 2019 and an interview in 2020.
In August, police raided the office of YouTube channel Open Sympathy TV after the ruling People Power Party (PPP) sued the channel for allegedly slandering first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Regarding corruption, the report mentioned Yoon's decision in August to grant special presidential pardons for major conglomerate heads ― then-Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, citing economic reasons and stabilizing individuals' livelihoods. Both Lee and Shin were convicted in the corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.
The report also pointed out bribery allegations surrounding main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung in connection to a high-profile redevelopment project in Seongnam's Daejang-dong in Gyeonggi Province. The project, which took place during Lee's term as city mayor, involves a lesser-known asset firm Hwacheon Daeyu which raked in astronomical dividends after it was selected as a private partner.
Ongoing investigations over the controversial land development scandal have grown into illegal political funding allegations and bribery speculations involving multiple lawmakers and businessmen. The U.S. report noted that former PPP lawmaker Kwak Sang-do was indicted for allegedly receiving a bribe from Hwacheon Daeyu.
His son allegedly received a 5 billion won ($3.5 million) severance package from the company, which is more than 200 times his legally entitled amount. Kwak left the party after the allegations were raised.
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