Oh Se-hoon Sends Letter to Seoul Metropolitan Council Requesting 'Extension of TBS Support'..."Must Prevent Catastrophe"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon sent a letter appealing for the extension of support for the Seoul Media Foundation TBS to all members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

On the 25th, according to Seoul city officials, a senior city official visited the offices of the city council members on the afternoon of the 24th and delivered Mayor Oh’s letter containing a sincere request for the extension of support for TBS.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is attending the 2024 Press New Year Meeting held at Seoul City Hall on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul on the 17th, answering reporters' questions. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Mayor Oh stated, "It is well known that TBS lost its way," adding, "Public broadcasting should be impartial and fair, but over the past several years, it has deteriorated into a mouthpiece for a particular political faction."

He continued, "The biggest victim of politically biased broadcasting during the election period was myself," and wrote, "Because of that, many predicted during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election that 'if Oh Se-hoon becomes mayor, the first thing he will do is abolish Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory.' However, I did not do that. I exercised extreme patience, waiting and waiting again for the broadcasting station’s efforts at self-purification." He also pointed out, "TBS refused to change itself and partly brought about today’s difficulties."

Mayor Oh said, "Nevertheless, we must prevent a catastrophe," and added, "The council responded to my earnest request for cooperation, and the support fund was extended until the end of May, but preparations for independence have not yet been made." He went on to say that TBS has more than 250 employees, many of whom are likely unrelated to bias, and urged, "Our neighbors and ordinary citizens who make their living there must be protected as much as possible."

Mayor Oh concluded the letter by saying, "I believe that politics should follow the right path with conviction, but the wounds in the process should be healed with tolerance," and expressed hope for wise judgment.

Earlier, on the 22nd, during the 322nd Seoul Metropolitan Council extraordinary session’s administrative questioning, Mayor Oh expressed his hope that financial support would be extended to prepare for privatization, noting that multiple media companies have shown interest in acquiring TBS.