Amid controversy over alleged deal to drop charges for Lee, calls grow to "refrain from appearing on Kim Ou-joon's show"

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The Financial News reported that criticism has emerged that broadcaster Kim Ou-joon is overstepping by effectively intervening in state affairs, and that the government and ruling bloc should take "preemptive self-corrective measures" to distance themselves from him. There were also calls for Kim, as host of "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," to personally apologize for remarks made on the program by former reporter Jang In-soo that have not been verified as fact, and for lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea to refrain from appearing on the show.
Shin In-kyu, head of the Party Reform Initiative, issued a statement on the 12th, saying, "Unelected broadcasting power is shaking the state," and added, "If the Democratic Party of Korea wants to support the government and earn the trust of more citizens, it must accelerate its own efforts at self-purification."
Previously, Jang In-soo, a former reporter for Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), appeared on Kim Eo-jun's News Factory on the 10th and raised suspicions, saying, "A senior government official, who can only be seen as one of President Lee Jae-myung's closest aides, asked prosecutors to drop the charges."
Regarding this, Shin said it was "close to fiction" and noted, "In the end, Jang failed to present any evidence."
Shin argued that Kim Ou-joon fueled internal conflict by endorsing both the possibility of Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk running for president and a merger between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party. He added, "There was even a case where one of his reporters broke an embargo and was disciplined, and eventually we saw repeated emotional clashes with the Prime Minister's Office," and continued, "At this point, is it really an overstatement to worry that this has gone beyond ordinary journalistic activity and reached a level that substantively obstructs the running of state affairs?"
Shin went on, "They have shaken a highly sensitive and important national agenda item, namely the dropping of charges. It was Kim himself who invited Jang onto the program," adding, "If an unverified claim is made on air, the host should correct it on the spot, and if that is difficult, he should at least offer a sincere apology and explanation to the public after the broadcast."
He argued that the government and ruling camp should step in directly and urge Kim to apologize. Shin added, "Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea should clearly criticize Kim's latest behavior and declare that they will refrain from appearing on his program until he himself apologizes to the public," and continued, "If there is not even this minimum level of conscientious effort, Kim Ou-joon will become an even greater obstacle to state governance, and I am deeply concerned that the government and the ruling party will ultimately bear all the responsibility."
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram Reporter