MBC Expresses "Deep Regret" to People Power Party's Criminal Complaint, Vows to Stand Firm

Park Dae-chul, chairman of the People Power Party's 'MBC Bias and Manipulation Broadcast Fact-Finding Task Force (TF)' (second from left), and lawmakers are heading to the civil affairs office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 29th to submit a complaint against MBC. / Photo by the National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Kyung-jo] MBC stated on the 29th that it "expresses deep concern and regret" regarding the People Power Party's 'MBC Bias and Manipulation Broadcast Fact-Finding Task Force (TF)' criminally accusing four of its executives and employees to the prosecution.

In a statement released that day, MBC said, "It is unprecedented that only one media company is singled out and accused over content that all media outlets reported identically, and that the heads of reporting and the president were collectively accused," adding, "This could be seen as a directive forbidding any media from criticizing government agencies in the future."

It continued, "On online platforms, vile personal attacks and doxxing against our reporters have reached an extreme level," emphasizing, "This is a grave situation where the personal dignity and freedom of expression, which are the foundations of democracy, are being threatened together."

Furthermore, it added, "We will firmly stand against any pressure aimed at gagging the media’s fundamental role of criticizing and monitoring power, while protecting the reporters who reported the truth without yielding to unjust oppression."

Earlier, the People Power Party TF submitted a complaint to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the same day against MBC President Park Sung-je, the head of the news bureau, the head of the digital news bureau, and a reporter, regarding the 'subtitle controversy' over a video of President Yoon Seok-yeol's remarks during his overseas trip.

Park Dae-chul, the TF chairman and a member of the National Assembly, told reporters after the submission, "Despite the spread of the manipulated broadcast scandal, instead of resolving or reflecting on it, acts that distort the truth continue, which led to the submission of the complaint."