Citizens' Coalition for Fair Media Cites 'Bias and Distortion' in 4 MBC, YTN Reports; Files for Review

The Citizens' Coalition for Fair Media (CCFM) announced on the 18th that it had conducted weekly monitoring of programs broadcast from the 7th to the 13th, classifying a total of 20 cases as unfair. Of these, it decided to apply for deliberation by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) for four cases—two from MBC and two from YTN—judged to have severe bias and distortion.

The CCFM also took issue with a radio host's remarks about the "detention center heatwave." MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus," aired on the 7th, was included in the deliberation request. According to the CCFM, while handling a message from former President Yoon Suk-yeol to young people, the host mentioned the "detention center heatwave" and said, "I hope you think of it as a blessing and find strength." The CCFM argued that this went beyond evaluating or criticizing the former president's message, bringing in his personal detention situation to mock and trivialize it.

The CCFM also selected two YTN programs for KCSC deliberation. It argued that YTN's "Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off," aired on the 10th, distorted the intent of the law while criticizing Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon regarding the Special Act on Yongsan Park Creation. The claim is that the broadcast conveyed the legal intent—that the mayor should cooperate in creating the park—as meaning he should cooperate in developing the park site into housing.

YTN's "Jang Sung-chul's News Hot Spot," aired on the 12th, was also included in the deliberation request. According to the CCFM, regarding Rep. Lee Jin-seok of the People Power Party's investigation into the makeup of current affairs program panels, the host used expressions such as "Why did they do this," "Do they have too much time on their hands," and "They are doing a pathetic job." The CCFM pointed out that while criticism of a lawmaker's official duties is possible, the remarks mocked and trivialized the individual's activities itself rather than examining the validity of the policy or investigation.