While Rep. Hong Mun-pyo, a member of the People’s Strength, rebelled against the KBS report, which raised the suspicion of his’land speculation’, saying that it was a “destructive work,” KBS requested an official apology.
On the 12th, KBS reported that it is promoting the attraction of highway crossings near the land owned by Congressman Hong (“[단독] Rep. Hong Mun-pyo holds land near the’Highway Outing Mok’”). It is reported that six people, including Congressman Hong and family relatives, jointly own 2975㎡ of forest in the hills of Mundang-ri, Hongseong-gun, about 5km away from the area that declared the “Donghongseong Outing”. KBS said, “If the crossing is opened, the time to travel to major metropolitan cities is drastically shortened, and land prices are expected to rise.”
In response, Congressman Hong held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 16th, saying, “The KBS and the informant who have committed dirty and deceptive false hoaxing political maneuvers will surely recover the reputation that has been damaged through the media arbitration committee and the KBS. In order to do so, we will use all legal means to respond strongly.” He said, “The reason why (KBS) reported distorted without a phone call with the party concerned is that it was broadcasted through suspicion of political back-end transactions by the practitioners mentioned above, and that it was a sexual harassment,” he said. It was to escape the crisis of re-election and to cover the LH speculation incident that is causing the public’s resentment,” he argued.
KBS immediately released a press release, saying, “In relation to the above allegations, KBS expresses its position that it should be withdrawn immediately due to serious defamation of KBS and KBS reporters.” “Attempting to link KBS’s reports to political conspiracy is the intrinsic role of the media. “It is inevitable that it is very irresponsible for the act of trying to atrophy the human surveillance and criticism activity itself, so we demand an immediate apology from Congressman Hong.”
KBS said, “Politicians, such as members of the National Assembly, heads of organizations, and provincial lawmakers, can have a greater influence on land development projects than ordinary people. Therefore, the media has an obligation to closely examine and report on the possibility of conflicts of interest between such development projects and politicians. Accordingly, he contacted Congressman Hong’s aide to receive a counter-argument, and the content of the counter-argument was faithfully reflected in the report on the day. The contents of Congressman Hong’s claim that it is’sunsan and not speculation’ were also reflected in the article, and even afterwards, it was faithfully guaranteed the right to object by documenting Hong’s position separately.”
It was also refuted that Congressman Hong argued that this report would not be possible without an invisible adjustment of power behind the scenes to suppress Hong Mun-pyo, who is being mentioned as the influential leader of the party’s power of the people. KBS said, “It is obvious defamation to predict that KBS practitioners would have received money or goods without any grounds, or to claim that it was a political harassment. In particular, it is the position of the KBS Press Headquarters that it is very inappropriate as an action of a senior politician who challenges the party’s representative.”
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