"Such a jerk... Go away," Joo Jin-woo clashes with YouTuber

Response Demanded to Allegations Raised by 'Nakkomsu' Colleague Kim Yong-min
"Don't Do It," "Go Away" Retorted Before Leaving by Car

An interview scene between a YouTuber and reporter Joo Jin-woo uploaded on the YouTube channel 'Back Briefing' on the 8th. / Photo by YouTube Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Joo-hyung] Journalist Joo Jin-woo, a former member of the podcast "I Am a Trickster" (Naggomsu), which has been criticized as the so-called "Yoon Seok-yeol family" by some pro-Moon Jae-in (친문) figures, had a confrontation with a YouTuber inside a broadcasting station building. The YouTuber raised suspicions about the relationship between Joo and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

Recently, Joo was suspected by Kim Yong-min, chairman of the nonprofit organization Peace Tree and also a former Naggomsu member, of having a close relationship with Prosecutor General Yoon.

Amid this, a YouTuber running the YouTube channel "Back Briefing" visited the tbs broadcasting station on the afternoon of the 7th to hear Joo's explanation regarding these suspicions. Joo works as a DJ at this broadcasting station.

In a video titled "We Asked Joo Jin-woo," posted on "Back Briefing" on the 8th, the YouTuber follows Joo from the previous day, asking several questions such as "Shouldn't you explain to your supporters?" and "Is Kim Yong-min's revelation true?" However, Joo responds with "Go away," and "Please don't."

When the YouTuber asks again, "Aren't you a journalist?" Joo retorts, "Just because I'm a journalist, do I have to listen to this?" When asked, "Shouldn't you explain to viewers or supporters?" he raises his voice, saying "It's nothing but nonsense," and "Hey, don't get on (the elevator)."

During the confrontation, when the YouTuber continued to ask questions such as "Is it true that you have a close relationship with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol?" Joo did not answer and left by getting into a car parked in the underground parking lot.

Podcast radio 'Naneun Kkomsuda' panelists political commentator Kim Yong-min, Ddanzi Ilbo chief Kim Eo-jun, and SisaIN reporter Joo Jin-woo (from left) / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 3rd, Chairman Kim publicly demanded that Joo respond to the suspicions by mentioning Joo's real name on Facebook. On that day, Kim raised four suspicions about former journalist Joo, stating, "I have finally come to the painful conclusion that it is reasonable to see him as part of the 'Yoon Seok-yeol family.'"

Among these suspicions were allegations that Joo asked former Democratic Research Institute Director Yang Jeong-cheol to "pledge loyalty to Prosecutor General Yoon," and that he visited Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae to say that the investigative directive issued by Minister Choo against Prosecutor General Yoon was unjust.

In response, Joo posted a video about four minutes long on his YouTube channel on the 6th, denying the allegations outright as "clear falsehoods."

Regarding the meeting with former Director Yang, he dismissed it, saying, "There was no such occasion." He also questioned, "The loyalty pledge toast proposal is a scene that does not exist. Who saw it, who heard it when it never happened?"

Regarding the claim that he opposed Minister Choo's investigative directive, he said, "What would I have said to the minister?" and added, "I met Minister Choo about six months ago. That was my last meeting with her."

'나는 꼼수다' member reporter Joo Jin-woo. Recently, Joo expressed critical views on Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae during his radio show, which led to strong criticism from some supporters of President Moon Jae-in. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Joo, who built a friendship with Chairman Kim and others while hosting "Naggomsu" in 2011, was criticized by some pro-Moon figures and netizens after introducing critical views of Minister Choo on his radio show on the 26th of last month.

At that time, on KBS Radio's "Joo Jin-woo Live," he mentioned, "Organizations like People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, progressive groups, and the Justice Party say, 'Isn't Minister Choo Mi-ae going too far?'" He also pointed out the next day (27th) that the so-called "judge surveillance document" was "a crude document said to be surveillance information made by prosecutors."

However, these remarks by Joo drew harsh criticism on some pro-Moon-leaning internet communities, with comments such as "Is he a pro-prosecutor journalist?" and "Yoon Seok-yeol's secret power."

In particular, on the 2nd, Chairman Kim posted on his Facebook, "There seems to be a very harsh time of decision approaching for me, who once regarded A like family and vowed to fight with everything against attempts to harm him," and "I was seriously betrayed by A, and even now, just thinking about it makes me furious." Some netizens interpreted that although Kim did not directly mention Joo's real name at the time, referring to Joo as A was an indirect criticism.