"Cannot Trust the Anti-Corruption and Investigation Agencies, Revealing the Truth"
Employees of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) who reported Chairman Ryu Hee-rim's alleged 'civil complaint solicitation' to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) have revealed their faces and names, urging a thorough investigation.
On the morning of the 25th, employees who filed the report are speaking at the "Public Whistleblower Disclosure Press Conference on Chairman Ryu Hee-rim's Complaint Solicitation" held at the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The whistleblowers held a press conference on the morning of the 25th at the office of People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating, "We cannot trust the ACRC and investigative agencies, so we are revealing our identities and starting a direct confrontation." The whistleblowers disclosed at the event include Ji Kyung-gyu, Deputy Head of the Terrestrial Broadcasting Team in the Broadcasting Review Bureau of KCSC; Tak Dong-sam, Research Fellow of the Defamation Dispute Mediation Team; and Kim Jun-hee, Head of the KCSC branch of the Korean Federation of Mediaworkers' Unions.
They reported Chairman Ryu last December on suspicion of violating the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act in connection with the civil complaint solicitation allegations. The core of the allegation is that Chairman Ryu allegedly instructed family members and acquaintances to file complaints requesting the review of reports citing News Tapa's 'Kim Man-bae - Shin Hak-rim false interview.'
Subsequently, as Chairman Ryu requested the police to investigate the whistleblowers for violating the Personal Information Protection Act, they became subjects of investigation, undergoing two searches and seizures in January and September.
At the press conference, they said, "We reported to the ACRC according to our conscience, but the response we received was accusations, police investigations, and the ACRC's neglect." They appealed, "Now, as named whistleblowers rather than anonymous reporters, we urge the National Assembly and investigative agencies to actively step forward to raise the allegations of civil complaint solicitation by Ryu Hee-rim and uncover the truth." They explained their reason for revealing their identities by saying, "With the National Assembly's audit approaching, we judged that this could no longer be delayed."
Deputy Head Ji stated, "During the process of verifying complaints related to News Tapa-cited reports, multiple complaints had a similar structure centered around a specific individual." He added, "By searching complainants' names on Google and other platforms, we confirmed that they were family members or acquaintances of Chairman Ryu." He further noted, "At that time, the News Tapa-cited reports were broadcasts from a year and a half earlier, so they had no timeliness."
Research Fellow Tak pointed out, "The fact that there were numerous organized complaints was an overwhelming reality, but out of professional conscience and responsibility for colleagues and the company's future, I could not remain passive." Branch Head Kim also criticized, "Chairman Ryu and the People Power Party's request for investigation of whistleblowers, including myself, on charges of personal information leakage is a blatant reversal of victim and perpetrator."
Attorney Park Eun-seon, representing their report to the ACRC, said, "The ACRC's decision to forward the case to the KCSC granted discretionary resolution rights to the party at fault."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
