The fall of the election
이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.
(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.
The political clash has escalated over the broadcasting of taped phone conversations between Kim Keon-hee — the wife of opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol — and a reporter of a pro-government YouTube channel “Voice of Seoul” from July last year. The recordings extend to seven hours, some of which a Seoul court has warranted for broadcasting in an injunction claim by the PPP.
Kim’s behavior can hardly be acceptable as she was “overly frank” with the pro-government social media outlet at a time when her husband joined politics to run for presidency. Questions about her eligibility as the first lady on top of the controversy over faking her credentials in the past could only mount. Her action goes against her earlier pledge “to keep silent for self-reflection during the remainder of the campaign and to act as no more than a wife to Yoon even if he becomes the president.”
The revelation and circulation of the sensitive conversation cannot be deemed normal. The reporter has no right to tape the conversation even if he had told her he was a journalist. It is unclear whether the conversation was made for reporting. The reporter will face moral liability if it was taped and circulated without Kim’s consent.
The media outlet’s motivation is also controversial. The YouTube channel shared the recordings with another pro-government channel as well as terrestrial TV station MBC. MBC has stayed openly favorable to the Moon Jae-in government despite its public role. As the broadcasting was timed ahead of the Lunar New Year’s holiday, it could influence voters ahead of the March 9 presidential election.
The court approved of the broadcasting after leaving out private dialogue and investigation under progress.
The PPP attempted to block the broadcasting and made a visit to MBC to protest its plan to broadcast the conversation. The party should have left the judgement to the public. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has had a field day over the windfall that will help its presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. Only a while ago, the DP accused the National Election Commission of violating neutrality when it granted the release of a taped recording of Lee’s temper tantrum. Will the DP stay silent if Lee’s and his wife’s conversations are released?
There was a presidential campaign to “go high when they go low” during the presidential race in the U.S. six years ago. But the Korean race is going lower and lower.
Copyright © 코리아중앙데일리. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.
- A star is born in Daejeon as Korea leads in the fusion race
- Actor Lee Ha-nee is pregnant with her first child
- [WHY] The unvaccinated in Korea and how they deal with the vaccine pass
- Four agencies dominate year-end music sales rankings
- Tottenham could be jetting off to Korea this summer
- North sends train to China after nearly two years of isolation
- Actor Kim Mi-soo's sudden death reported by international news outlets
- Park, Son and Hwang to discuss life in the Premier League
- BTS's V's 'Virkin' bag sells out in seconds leaving many ARMY disappointed
- Hwang Hee-chan returns to training after hamstring injury