Choi Min-hee Calls Reporters Covering Proceedings ‘a Pack of Hyenas’; Faces Police Complaint over Alleged Defamation

[Financial News] Choi Min-hee, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who called reporters covering the National Assembly “a pack of hyenas,” has been reported to police on suspicion of defamation.
According to police and other sources, former Seoul Metropolitan Council member Lee Jong-bae of the People Power Party filed a complaint against Choi with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency through e-People on the morning of the 12th. The alleged offense is defamation by disseminating false information under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
Lee claimed that on the 5th, Supreme Council member Choi posted a photo in a KakaoTalk group chat with around 400 participants, including party members from her constituency. The photo showed photo and video journalists covering a DPK lawmakers’ caucus meeting at the National Assembly Building. Choi allegedly posted the messages “A pack of hyenas” and “They’re acting like this to film a video that sows discord, one way or another” alongside the photo.
Lee argued that saying the journalists were “trying to film a video to sow discord” simply because they were covering a caucus meeting was a completely baseless falsehood. He said, “The expression ‘a pack of hyenas’ makes clear the intent to disparage the journalists.”
Lee added that there had been past instances in which Choi took issue with coverage unfavorable to her and had media company staff removed, or clashed with reporters during news gathering.
Meanwhile, lawmaker Choi Min-hee formally apologized for the remarks. Choi said, “On the 5th, I posted a photo in a chat room with friends and supporters and wrote about how I felt at the time,” adding, “I acknowledge that my wording was excessive and inappropriate, and I apologize.”

[email protected] Seo Ji-yun Reporter