President Lee reported to police over demand for apology from SBS ‘Unanswered Questions’...faces coercion and other charges

[The Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung has been reported to the police on charges including coercion after he demanded an apology from Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) and its investigative program “Unanswered Questions,” which first reported allegations that he was linked to a Seongnam City crime syndicate.
Lee Jong-bae, a former Seoul Metropolitan Council member from the People Power Party, stated on the 23rd that he had filed a complaint accusing President Lee of coercion, obstruction of business by abuse of influence, and abuse of power.
Speaking to reporters before submitting the complaint, Lee Jong-bae said, "By using the immense power of the presidency, he may in effect have coerced an apology and interfered with the broadcaster’s work through his influence." He added, "If he instructed staff at Cheong Wa Dae, the Blue House, to request a correction or follow-up report, that could amount to an abuse of power."
Lee went on to argue that the case constitutes a serious act of press suppression. He contended that it was inappropriate for the president to demand an apology without going through formal channels such as the Press Arbitration Commission or a lawsuit, as ordinary citizens would. He explained, "Given that the core role of the media is to monitor, check, and criticize those in power, it might be one thing for a Governor of Gyeonggi Province to request an apology. But when a president, who holds the highest authority, singles out a broadcaster, names the host, and intimidates them while demanding an apology, that is a grave problem."
Previously, “Unanswered Questions” aired an episode on July 21, 2018, raising suspicions of collusion between politicians in Seongnam City and criminal organizations. The program reported that in 2007, Lee Jae-myung, then Governor of Gyeonggi Province, had been listed as a defense attorney for two members of the Kookje Mafia gang based in Seongnam City.
In connection with this, attorney Jang Young-ha, legal representative for Park Cheol-min, a former member of the Kookje Mafia gang in Seongnam City, claimed in October 2021 that President Lee had received about 2 billion won while serving as Mayor of Seongnam in return for granting favors to the gang. Following a financial complaint filed by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Jang was indicted on charges of disseminating false information under the Public Official Election Act, and on the 12th the Supreme Court of Korea upheld his conviction.
On the 20th, President Lee used his account on X (formerly Twitter) to assert his innocence, citing the Supreme Court of Korea’s recent final guilty verdict against attorney Jang, and demanded an apology from “Unanswered Questions.” Cheong Wa Dae announced that it plans to exercise its right to request a follow-up report.
The production team of “Unanswered Questions” issued an official statement saying, "We apologize for having raised suspicions without solid evidence."
In a separate statement, the SBS labor union said, "We reported what we had verified in the course of covering the victim of the Pattaya Murder Case and reviewing court records," and described the broadcast as "the verification of a public figure, which is an inherent function of the press."
jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter