"Detained and Assaulted by Protesters Claiming Election Fraud" JTBC Reporters to Take Legal Action

Blocked Arena Entrance Forces Reporters to Escape Through Window
Journalists Association: "Violation of Press Freedom"

The JTBC chapter of the Journalists Association of Korea announced that it will take legal action, stating that its reporters were detained and assaulted by protesters claiming election fraud during vote counting for the June 3 local elections.

As the vote counting is underway at the second polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the "2-night 3-day lockdown incident" occurred, protesters claiming election fraud are demanding a halt to the vote counting in front of the Handball Gymnasium at Olympic Park on the 5th.

On the 5th, the JTBC chapter issued a statement saying, "An unprecedented incident occurred in which protesters claiming election fraud detained and assaulted JTBC reporters," and urged for strict punishment of the perpetrators.

According to the chapter, the reporters were covering the vote counting at the Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, at the time. The chapter claimed that, as protesters blocked the entrance to the gymnasium, the reporters felt threatened and had to escape through a window.

The JTBC chapter stated that the protesters demanded the reporter who exited through the window to "prove you are not an election commission employee," surrounded the reporter, and blocked movement. They also claimed that some protesters struck the reporter with their hands, threw the reporter's mobile phone, and pulled on the bag strap until it snapped.

The JTBC chapter announced plans to take legal action, including filing criminal complaints against the perpetrators, based on obtained video footage and other evidence. In addition, the chapter stated it would respond to actions such as posting reporters' photos and personal information or spreading false information on social networking services (SNS).

The Journalists Association of Korea also issued a separate statement condemning violence against reporters. The association stated, "Violence against journalists is an act that infringes upon freedom of the press and the public's right to know, both of which are guaranteed by the Constitution," and called on the police for a prompt investigation and strict response.

The police are reportedly verifying the facts related to the situation at the scene at that time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.