Broadcasting Resumes About 7 Months Before Next Year's Presidential Election
Chairman Yoo: "Will Focus on Book Criticism"
Yoo Si-min, chairman of the People’s Livelihood Foundation and the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, appeared on the foundation’s YouTube channel on the 2nd and announced plans to resume the Alileo broadcast. / Photo by YouTube capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Yoo Si-min, chairman of the People’s Livelihood Foundation and the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, is scheduled to resume his YouTube broadcast 'Yoo Si-min's Alileo' (Alileo) on the 13th. This comes about three months after the broadcast ended.
On the 2nd, a preview video of Alileo was posted on the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's YouTube channel. In the video, Chairman Yoo said about his recent status after the broadcast ended, "I practiced for retirement life" and "I took a good rest."
Regarding the resumption of 'Alileo' on the 13th, Chairman Yoo emphasized, "I will focus on book criticism." He intends to proceed by selecting specific books to introduce and then critique them.
He also said about the types of books to be covered in the broadcast, "I want to increase the proportion of popular books such as science and technology, IT, evolutionary biology, and modern classics."
Chairman Yoo emphasized, "Political news is like gasoline. When the wind blows and the temperature rises, it flies away. You can take knowledge and information from Alileo that is less likely to disappear over time." This is interpreted as his intention to refrain from mentioning political issues and to focus on the main content of book criticism.
However, since Chairman Yoo has previously expressed candid views on political issues during the book introduction broadcast 'Alileo Books,' there is interest in whether he will engage in political criticism in the resumed Alileo. Especially with the next presidential election scheduled for March next year about seven months away, there is a view that it is an opportune time to play a role in rallying ruling party supporters.
Chairman Yoo appeared on the YouTube show "Alileo" in December 2019 and claimed that the prosecution might have looked into the account of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. / Photo by YouTube broadcast capture
Earlier, on December 24, 2019, Yoo stated on 'Alileo,' "I confirmed that the prosecution looked into the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's bank accounts (from November to December)," and claimed, "I think they conducted a background check on me. It is highly likely that they also looked into my personal account and my wife's account."
Subsequently, on June 23 last year, the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation filed a complaint requesting the prosecution to confirm whether they had viewed the foundation's accounts by sending a 'Re-request for Confirmation on Provision of Financial Transaction Information and Notification Suspension.'
On July 6 of the same year, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office responded that "No account inquiry regarding the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation was confirmed at any prosecution office nationwide."
Chairman Yoo continued to raise suspicions of 'account surveillance' by the prosecution but apologized in January, stating, "I have judged that it was not true."
In a post on the official website of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation at that time, Yoo said, "I sincerely apologize to all prosecution officials for causing suspicion that the prosecution surveilled me due to unfounded allegations," and added, "I will humbly accept any form of responsibility or reprimand."
He also emphasized, "Raising suspicions without clear factual support distorts the process of public opinion formation. I will reflect on all my words and actions related to this issue," and "I will not engage in any political criticism."
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