[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] National Assembly member So Byung-chul raised an issue with a certain internet media report and announced in an email to journalists in Suncheon City that “based on Articles 15 and 16 of the Act on the Mediation and Relief of Damage in the Press, a request for correction and rebuttal report has been made to the representative of the media company in question.”
In particular, Rep. So stated, “I will take all possible legal remedies, including civil and criminal actions, until the correction is made.”
As opinions are divided among local journalists and citizens regarding Rep. So’s unusual move, signs of controversy spreading are emerging.
On Facebook pages supporting Rep. So, posts disparaging reporter C of the media company as a “giregi” (a derogatory term for journalists) are being uploaded.
However, some citizens, still mistakenly believing that Rep. So’s office is acting in the capacity of a “high prosecutor,” view the mention of civil and criminal actions demanding correction and rebuttal reports as an imprudent act.
Reporter A from Suncheon said, “Mentioning the media company and reporter’s real names seems like an intentional attempt to disgrace.”
Reporter C of a certain internet media company published an article titled “Rep. So Byung-chul, City Council and Suncheon City Treated as ‘Underlings’... Absurd Demand for City Council to Solve National Projects” on the 21st.
The article’s subtitle read, “Rep. So, without efforts to secure budget from central government... Suncheon City Council should seek support plans for small business employment incentives and agricultural product extraction and processing industries; Rep. So, without efforts to secure budget from central government... Suncheon City Council and city executive branch ‘dominate.’”
Reporter C stated, “Controversy has arisen as it was confirmed that an official letter was sent with the intention of having the Suncheon City Council and city executive branch resolve matters that require political roles to be addressed by the central government,” citing an official letter sent by Rep. So to the Suncheon City Council as evidence.
The official letter includes ▲ a proposal for employment incentive support without personnel restrictions, as only small and medium enterprises hiring five or more new employees currently benefit ▲ loan support within lease deposit limits for all registered businesses ▲ a request to prepare support plans for agricultural product extraction and processing industries by considering them within the agricultural product category and applying standards equivalent to boxes and packaging for agricultural products.
Reporter C pointed out, “These projects are not matters to be resolved by local basic governments; conversely, they are major policy projects that Rep. So should address through ordinance enactment or revision and budget securing in the National Assembly. Demanding the city council and local government to seek support plans constitutes neglect of duty.”
Additionally, projects such as ▲ installing arcades in all markets within Suncheon ▲ modernizing the 5-day traditional market into a daily permanent market ▲ reducing public utility charges ▲ traditional market maintenance projects require central government budget input. “Sending such an official letter to the city council without recognizing the enormous budget required for these projects appears to be an attempt to dominate the city council and city executive branch,” he criticized.
Rep. So’s office stated, “The official letter sent to the Suncheon City Council was a summary of matters proposed during meetings with small business owners, market merchants, and taxi industry workers, and was simultaneously sent to the Democratic Party Central Committee’s Policy Committee.”
According to a Rep. So office official’s explanation that “the matters proposed during the meetings were summarized and delivered as is,” it is reported that there are many contents and phrases in the official letter sent to the Suncheon City Council that should not have been included, suggesting that controversy will continue.
Furthermore, Rep. So’s office explained, “Since projects requiring national funding and those that can be implemented by the city council and city are mixed, projects needing budget securing at the National Assembly will be promoted in consultation with the party’s Policy Committee, and other projects to be promoted by the city will be cooperatively pursued by the future formed Livelihood Special Committee.”
If the matters proposed during the meetings were summarized and sent as is, reporter C’s claim that the contents sent to the Suncheon City Council and the party’s policy consultation should have been separated gains more credibility.
Regarding Rep. So’s office’s claim that “the meeting contents were summarized and sent without alteration,” citizen B said, “No matter how good the intentions and contents of the National Assembly office’s official letter are, it should be organized before sending.” He added, “Sending the letter without any modification suggests that the office is not properly assisting Rep. So.”
Meanwhile, Rep. So’s office stated, “Our office has not sent any official letters to the city executive branch.” This appears to be a claim that Suncheon City was not treated as an underling. However, on the 17th, the Suncheon City Council forwarded the official letter sent by Rep. So to Suncheon City.
Regarding this, a Rep. So office official said, “Since we did not send it directly, we do not know about it.” When asked about specific details regarding the request for correction, the response was strange: “What is the purpose of the question? Please ask the media company.”
Meanwhile, reporter C said, “There is nothing to respond to in the correction request,” and “I will respond with additional reporting.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
