Grabbed by the Collar and Verbally Abused Right Before Mayor’s Press Conference
Controversy Over Qualifications as Both Reporter and Head of Residents’ Committee
"Undermining the Reputation of Journalism as a Whole... Access to City Hall Should Be Restricted"
A reporter from a local daily newspaper in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, assaulted and threatened another reporter from a different media outlet prior to a press conference attended by the city’s mayor.
According to an Asia Economy report compiled on June 30, Gongju City held a press conference for journalists at Haengbok Nuri in Singwan-dong at 3:00 p.m. on June 27 to mark the third anniversary of Mayor Choi Woncheol’s eighth term in office.
Reporter A, affiliated with a local daily, is suspected of verbally abusing and physically assaulting Reporter B from another media outlet at around 2:50 p.m., just before the press conference with the mayor and journalists.
According to witnesses, Reporter A grabbed Reporter B by the collar for about three minutes and threatened him with remarks such as "You xxx" and "If I see you again, I’ll kill you."
Reporter A is known to be close to Reporter C, who is also from another media outlet, and is believed to have intervened in a conflict between Reporter C and Reporter B, leading to the assault and verbal abuse.
Reporter A also serves as the head of a residents’ self-governing committee in a district of Gongju, prompting criticism regarding his conduct and qualifications as a representative of local residents.
Reporter B reportedly sustained injuries to his neck and is experiencing psychological trauma. It is known that he plans to file a police complaint against Reporter A for assault and insult.
As a result, there are calls for disciplinary action, including banning Reporter A from entering City Hall and imposing a one-year sanction on his affiliated media outlet, citing this as a serious act of violence that has damaged the dignity of journalists.
One citizen stated, "If a reporter undermines public trust in the media through violence, it is not just a personal deviation but directly raises questions about the ethics and qualifications of journalists," and added, "There needs to be a certain level of vetting for reporters who enter institutions such as City Hall."
A representative of the Gongju Journalists’ Association said, "The assault that occurred at an official event hosted by Gongju City has seriously damaged the reputation of the entire journalism community," and added, "We plan to formally request the city to immediately restrict Reporter A’s access to City Hall."
Meanwhile, about 40 people, including Mayor Choi Woncheol, public officials, and local journalists, attended the press conference that day.
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