[앵커]
Hope Bridge continues to report on various allegations of corruption at the National Disaster Relief Association.
Today (27th), we report another case of the association’s careless use of its budget.
He managed media outlets he was familiar with by giving them advertisements, and recklessly filed lawsuits against media outlets that wrote critical articles, losing over 100 million won.
Reporter Kim Deok-hoon of the Investigative Reporting Department reports exclusively.
[리포트]
In June and July 2020, some media outlets published articles criticizing Kim Jeong-hee, Secretary General of the Disaster Relief Association.
This is an internal complaint regarding unfair work instructions and verbal abuse.
Some time later, an Internet media outlet published a report criticizing the accuser and supporting Secretary General Kim.
The author was a reporter with a non-existent name.
[김OO/OOOO 뉴스 편집인 : “이 기사에 대해서는 제가 책임을 질게요. (이 기사를 편집인님께서 쓰신 거라고 지금 인정하시는 거예요?) 네, 150% 이거 내가 썼어요.”]
This article, which was said to have been written by an editor, was a custom article written at the request of Secretary General Kim Jeong-hee as a result of the coverage.
Secretary-General Kim’s husband, a journalist, relayed to the media the details of his separate coverage of the association’s employees.
Editor Kim is Secretary-General Kim’s junior in the media world and the older sister of the current executive of the association, where suspicions of hiring corruption have been raised.
Since Secretary General Kim took office, the Disaster Relief Association has spent about 30 million won on advertising in this media.
In addition, we attempted to create public opinion to quell criticism of the association by placing advertisements in several media outlets.
[김정희/전국재해구호협회 사무총장/2022년 1월 18일 : “막 온라인 매체에다가 이런저런 사연이 있어서 이렇게 주고 있어. 광고를.”]
[김정희/전국재해구호협회 사무총장/2022년 1월 18일 : “OOOO 뉴스, XXXX 뉴스는 우리가 죽었을 때 살려준 매체들한테 돈이 가는 거야.”]
This was something that had never happened before Secretary General Kim.
[전국재해구호협회 직원/음성 대역 : “정말 아껴 썼던 돈입니다. 그동안 언론사에 결산 공고 말고는 저런 광고비가 나갈 일이 없었어요.”]
The media responded to criticism in the exact opposite way.
We filed a lawsuit and went ahead with it even when it was obvious that there would be no benefit.
[전국재해구호협회 직원/음성 대역 : “1심 패소 후 전망이 어둡다는 얘기가 나왔고, 법무법인 의견도 그랬지만 소송을 강행했습니다.”]
Secretary General Kim says this about the lawsuit:
[김정희/전국재해구호협회 사무총장/2022년 8월 18일 : “(협회장 뜻은) 돈을 얼마나 써서라도 법무 소송 끝까지 갖고 가서 (기자들이) 다리 뻗고 못 자게 해준다. 아주 불편하게 해준다.”]
We lost all 5 lawsuits filed over 3 years, including the 2nd trial.
All of the 103 million won in legal fees came from public donations.
Secretary General Kim responded that the advertisement was intended to promote the association, and that pushing forward with the lawsuit was a decision made by the president for the sake of the association’s image and transparency.
This is Kim Deok-hoon from KBS News.
Cinematographer: Kim Seong-hyeon and Choi Jin-young / Video editor: Yoo Ji-young / Graphics: Kim Jeong-hyeon and Choi Chang-jun
■ Report
▷ Kakao Talk: Search for ‘KBS Report’, add channel
▷ Phone: 02-781-1234, 4444
▷ Email: [email protected]
▷ Please subscribe to KBS News on YouTube, Naver, and Kakao!
2023-09-27 12:36:00
#단독 #Friendly #media #manage #advertisements #sue #dont #questions #critical #articles #Donations #booming
