Kim Jin-ae: "Kim Eo-jun's All-in on Park Young-sun Feels Unfamiliar... Ending News Factory Is 'Media Oppression'"

Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun (left) and broadcaster Kim Eo-jun (right) declaring their candidacy for the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim So-young] Kim Jin-ae, a member of the Open Democratic Party who announced her intention to resign from her proportional representation seat to run for Seoul mayor, criticized Kim Eo-jun, the host of TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' saying, "It looks unfamiliar to see Kim Eo-jun, the factory chief, all-in on Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party candidate, and bandwagoning (following a trend)."

On the 4th, Kim posted on her Facebook, pointing out that the pledges of opposition candidates running in the Seoul mayoral by-election to abolish 'TBS Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' are 'media suppression.'

Kim, who has been a fixed panelist on News Factory and attracted attention, mentioned figures such as 'Na Kyung-won, Lee Hye-hoon, Ha Tae-kyung,' and said that she herself contributed to the popularity of News Factory by maintaining a corner for three and a half years since its launch.

Kim Jin-ae, a member of the Open Democratic Party, is holding a press conference reporting her candidacy for the Seoul mayoral by-election at the National Assembly on December 27 last year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, in the following post, Kim briefly expressed, "I have been feeling quite troubled lately," and added that she has not appeared on News Factory even once since declaring her candidacy on December 27 last year.

She continued, "It was not that I was not invited," saying, "Even after becoming the official candidate of the Open Democratic Party, there was no request for three weeks, and then on the morning of March 1st, I was asked to appear, but why call me on a public holiday with low listenership on the day the Democratic Party primary candidate was selected?" She added, "I suspected the intention and declined to appear." She then pointed out, "As I had predicted to my aides, the very next day (March 1st), Park Young-sun appeared."

Kim also revealed, "Despite numerous interview requests after I declared my resignation from the National Assembly to show hope for new politics and pledged to unify through fair play, I have yet to receive an invitation to appear on News Factory."

She criticized, saying, "I miss the spirited and passionate Kim Eo-jun. Do we need new heroes in the new era? Or have there become too many vested interests to protect? Can't it be a lighthouse that illuminates the spirit of the times?"

TBS 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory'
[Photo by Yonhap News]

However, Kim emphasized, "There will never be a case where TBS News Factory is abolished. It must never happen. The citizens' resistance consciousness against overt media suppression is strong," while also arguing, "However, the credibility of Kim Eo-jun's News Factory and the trust in factory chief Kim Eo-jun must be increased."