'Blaming the Media Again? Outrageous' Statement
"Conspiracy Theories, Investigation Orders, Complaints... The Situation Worsens"
President Yoon Suk-yeol, returning from his tour of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, arrived at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the morning of the 26th and held a Q&A session with reporters. [Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The Korea Journalists Association on the 26th sharply criticized the attempt to blame the media for the controversy over President Yoon Suk-yeol's use of profanity during his overseas trip, calling it "audacious hypocrisy."
The association issued a statement titled "Blaming the Media Again? There Are Limits to Audacious Hypocrisy," criticizing that "the government and the ruling party are trying to use the media, which has been a thorn in their side by monitoring and uncovering suspicions, as scapegoats to evade the crisis."
On the first day back at work after the trip, President Yoon responded to reporters' questions by saying things like "damaging alliances through inaccurate reporting" and "the truth must be revealed more clearly." The problematic remarks by the president were captured on camera by the presidential press pool. The Journalists Association criticized this attitude, saying "they are shifting the blame onto the media."
President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden are seen conversing after concluding the 7th Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund held on the 21st (local time) at a building in New York, USA. They continued, "The government and the ruling party are diverting attention by labeling it as a 'conspiracy theory,' including suspicions of collusion between MBC and the opposition party, as a way to cover up their own mistakes," emphasizing that "President Yoon has effectively ordered an investigation, and a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council from the People Power Party has filed a complaint against MBC, escalating the situation."
The Journalists Association made it clear that it supports the efforts of journalists who are fulfilling their fundamental role. The association stated, "What the government and ruling party should do now is not to shift responsibility onto the media as a desperate measure, but for the president to apologize for causing a diplomatic crisis through the controversy and to make efforts to uncover the internal truth," adding, "We declare that we will strongly fight against the shameless behavior and audacious counterattacks of the government and ruling party trying to cover the sky with their palms."
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