People Power Party Files Complaint Against Han Junho's Aides Over Alleged Pressure on Kim Seungwon Report

The People Power Party has filed a police complaint against aides from the office of Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Han Jun-ho, in connection with allegations that the party exerted undue pressure regarding a KBS exclusive report about former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

On September 28, Kim Taekyu, Legal Advisory Chairman of the People Power Party, and Kim Jang-kyum, Chairman of the Special Committee on Press Freedom, announced that they had submitted a complaint to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, accusing aides from Han's office of violating the Broadcasting Act.

Kim Taekyu, Legal Advisory Chairman of the People Power Party. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

According to the People Power Party, KBS reported exclusively on September 19 that a petition concerning former nominee Kim had been delivered to the presidential office, and previewed coverage of this news in its evening broadcast the same day. After that, an aide from Han's office allegedly protested to a KBS National Assembly correspondent, stating, "It should be enough that the nominee resigned; why publish the report?"

Chairman Kim Taekyu argued, "The request from the ruling party secretary’s office of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, which oversees KBS, for restraint in reporting ahead of the parliamentary audit, constitutes interference in broadcast programming prohibited by the Broadcasting Act." He further stressed the need for an investigation into the reporting and instruction relationship between Representative Han and his aides.

The Broadcasting Act prohibits any regulation or interference in broadcast programming unless allowed by law, and violations are punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Chairman Kim Taekyu urged investigative authorities to carry out a thorough investigation, stating, "It must be made clear that political interference in the media, which has been carried out under the name of custom, can no longer be tolerated."

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