KBS Geomeon Yuchak False Report Truth Committee Files Complaint Against 'News9' Reporting Officials to Prosecutors

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The KBS Labor Union, the Public Broadcasting Union, and the Media Solidarity formed the KBS 'Investigation Committee on the "Collusion between Prosecutors and Reporters" False Report' and filed a complaint with the prosecution on the 5th against President Yang Seung-dong and reporter Lee, who was responsible for the report.

The investigation committee held a press conference in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office that morning and announced that they would file charges against nine individuals, including KBS News Headquarters Chief Kim Jong-myung, KBS News Department executives, the head of the social affairs division, and the head of the legal team, for obstruction of business by abuse of authority and defamation.

They stated, "There have been allegations that during the desk editing process by the news department executives of the reporter's manuscript, a transcript of a conversation with an unidentified party who appears to be a 'third person' was utilized," and added, "When comparing the problematic transcript with the reported article, anyone can see that the likelihood of this is sufficient."

They continued, "Even if it was a mistake, considering the gravity of the matter, the highest responsible person at KBS must take responsibility, and absolute measures to prevent recurrence must be implemented as this is a case of national-level public opinion manipulation," and said, "Responsible executives and related members of KBS have obstructed and continue to obstruct KBS's duty to report truthfully and fairly as a public broadcaster."

'KBS News 9' reported on the 18th of last month a report titled 'The conversation about Yoo Si-min related to the general election is the smoking gun... Yoon Seok-youl, who was negative about the investigation, also takes a hit,' based on the recorded conversation between Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon and former Channel A reporter Lee Dong-jae, but acknowledged the false report and apologized after the full transcript was released.

Meanwhile, separately from the investigation committee, the Media Solidarity filed charges against six MBC executives, including President Park Sung-je, on the same charges.