"Retest? Isn't This Abuse of Power?" MBC Notifies Retest Amid 'Question Controversy'... Test Takers Protest

'Park Won-soon Victim Complainant' MBC New Reporter Exam Question Sparks 'Secondary Harm' Controversy
Lawyer Kim Jae-ryeon: "Candidates Put Victims on the Spot"
MBC: "Will Hold Retest"... Some Candidates: "Don't Consider Job Seekers' Time and Costs"

MBC logo. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kim Yeon-ju] MBC, which recently sparked controversy by including a question in its reporter recruitment exam asking how to refer to the accuser who filed sexual harassment charges against the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, has ultimately decided to hold a retest. However, some candidates are opposing the retest itself, arguing that it could undermine the fairness of the recruitment exam.

According to online communities and social network services (SNS) for media exam candidates on the 13th, the essay question in the MBC reporter recruitment exam held that day asked, "Should the person who raised the sexual harassment issue against former Seoul Mayor Park be referred to as a victim or as a 피해호소인 (victim complainant)? If there is a third term, you may present it with logical reasoning."

'피해호소인' (victim complainant) was a term used in political and media circles immediately after the death of the late Mayor Park. The ruling party, including then Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan, did not define the accuser as a victim but used the term 피해호소인, meaning "a woman who complains of harm."

Right after the exam, responses criticizing the question appeared in media exam preparation communities, such as "The question itself is secondary victimization," "Apologize publicly," and "Isn't MBC ashamed?"

Kim Jae-ryeon, the lawyer representing the accuser, expressed strong regret. On the 14th, appearing on KBS Radio's "Kim Kyung-rae's Strong Current Affairs," Kim said, "Candidates were put in a situation where they had to put a living victim on the chopping block and decide what to call her during a limited time," adding, "It is very regrettable and unfortunate to use a term like 피해호소인, which does not exist anywhere, and to intentionally pose such a question as an essay topic."

MBC, which faced controversy after including a question about the proper term for the victim who accused the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon of sexual harassment in its reporter entrance exam, decided to hold a retest, prompting some candidates to protest. Photo by Arang, an online community for media exam candidates.

In response to the controversy, MBC issued an apology through a press release and announced it would hold a retest as a follow-up measure. However, criticism is pouring in mainly from media recruitment candidates. Some candidates have even suggested that legal actions such as complaints or lawsuits may be necessary.

Those opposing the retest expressed reactions such as, "Is there a definitive answer in an essay exam?", "Don't they consider candidates' time and expenses?", "I wrote a satisfactory essay in the first exam; how will they compensate for this?", and "Since there is no proper apology to candidates, this is clearly an abuse of power."

One candidate expressed a desire to gather about 300 applicants for the reporter position to file a complaint or lawsuit against MBC, and comments agreeing to join followed.

In particular, about 20 candidates who took the exam are reportedly gathering opinions opposing MBC's retest decision. They are said to be compiling their views into a statement.

On the other hand, some candidates argued that "Since the question risks secondary victimization, holding a retest is only natural," "Is it right to consider profits even when correcting a wrong question?", and "Candidates are being too selfish," supporting the retest.

Meanwhile, criticism also emerged within MBC regarding the exam question that sparked the 'secondary victimization' controversy. On the 14th, the Gender Equality Committee of the MBC branch of the National Union of Mediaworkers criticized, "This issue had already been internally concluded to be correctly reported as 'victim,' so posing a question as if there is room for controversy was itself very inappropriate."

MBC stated, "We will exclude the question from grading, create a new question, and hold a retest. We will take this incident as an opportunity for self-reflection and re-examine our gender sensitivity."