Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Cheol-ho’s comment, “disrespectful” and “needs to be corrected” in response to a question from a Busan Ilbo reporter, was scandalized
“People who are the most rude to the media ever” “Selling red-and-white decorations”
“Reporters ask questions on behalf of the people” “Remarks that show no signs of reform”
[미디어오늘 정철운 기자]
▲Busan Ilbo reporter Park Seok-ho speaking at the presidential press conference on the 7th. Photo = JTBC press screen capture.
“I think it’s disrespectful to the president. “The president apologized, but the attitude was, ‘What did I do wrong’, like a parent would to a child. I think that attitude needs to be corrected.” (Hong Cheol-ho, Senior Secretary to the President for Political Affairs, remarks to the National Assembly Steering Committee on the 19th)
“It is often said that there are several requirements that must be met when making an apology. It is said that the most important thing among them is to clearly specify what part of the apology he will apologize for. In his address to the public, the President apologized in a somewhat vague and comprehensive way for causing concern and anxiety about things around me. And regarding the various incidents related to Myung Tae-gyun, you said that the reason why this happened was because you could not change your cell phone or because you were not harsh with people. In that case, it was as if it was something that did not need to be apologized for, but it was noisy outside. I think you might misunderstand that I am apologizing because of this. So, I think the people watching the conference on TV will be confused about what the President apologized to us for.” (Reporter Park Seok-ho of Busan Ilbo, remarks at the presidential press conference on the 7th)
The controversy is growing after the President’s Senior Secretary for Political Affairs claimed that a reporter’s question was rude during the President’s press conference on the 7th. On the 20th, Kang Mi-jeong, spokesperson for the Innovation Party of Korea, criticized, “President Yoon and other staffers in the Yongsan Presidential Office are the most rude to the people, who are sovereign, and to the media, which asks questions on behalf of the people.” On the same day, Kang Yoo-jeong, floor spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, also criticized it as “a red-handed selling.”
The media also began to criticize. In the JTBC ‘Newsroom’ on the 20th, anchor Min-yong Han said, “A large number of remarks were made that show no signs of reform in the President’s Office, which has reached the halfway point of its term,” and “reacted to the reporter who asked what he was apologizing for during President Yoon Seok-yeol’s press conference. He pointed out, “I said it was disrespectful to the president and that I needed to correct my attitude.”
▲Screen capture of JTBC’s ‘News Room’ on the 20th.
On the same day, on MBC’s ‘News Desk’, anchor Kim Soo-ji said, “Even though the president holding a press conference appears to be explaining things to reporters, he is actually talking to the people, and the reporters are asking questions on behalf of the people.” Anchor Cho Hyun-yong asked, “When I see everyone calling me rude for asking questions and talking about needing to correct my attitude, who was really rude that day and even now?” He asked, “The people who have natural questions and the reporters who ask instead are not the president’s subordinates.” “He criticized the president’s office for its slip of the tongue.
Previously, the President’s Office’s local reporters demanded an apology, explanation, and a responsible stance from the President’s Office after Chief Hong Cheol-ho’s slip of the tongue. They said, “Chief Hong not only arbitrarily expanded and interpreted reporter Park Seok-ho’s question, but also denied the role of the media and the social responsibility of reporters. He criticized the President’s Office, saying, “The need to correct one’s attitude is ‘giving notice’ to reporters, and is giving a kind of guideline to local reporters.” If the President’s Office does not issue an immediate apology and explanation, there is a possibility that it could lead to a bigger scandal than the incident last March, when Hwang Sang-moo, Senior Secretary for Civil Society, said, “Listen carefully to MBC,” and mentioned the ‘reporter’s knife attack.’
To the public was an attempt to deflect the issue rather than address the substance of the question. It felt dismissive of our role to hold the government accountable.
Interview with Guest 1: A Political Analyst
Question: In light of the recent scandal involving Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Cheol-ho’s comments about a reporter’s question being disrespectful and needing to be corrected, how do you think this reflects on the relationship between the media and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration?
Guest 1: The recent incident is just one example of the ongoing tension between the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the media. It highlights the difficulties that journalists face when trying to hold politicians accountable and ask tough questions. The administration’s attempt to control the narrative and downplay the severity of the incidents involving former governor Myung Tae-gyun has only escalated the situation.
Question: Do you think there is a need for reform in the way the presidency handles media interactions and public communication?
Guest 1: Absolutely. The president and his staff need to understand that the media are not their enemies but rather serve as an important check on their power. The public has a right to know what their leaders are doing, and journalists play a crucial role in informing them. The administration should value transparency and work towards building a more open and mutually respectful relationship with the media.
Question: How do you think this incident might affect President Yoon’s approval ratings and his ability to govern effectively in the second half of his term?
Guest 1: Scandals like these can be damaging to a presidency’s reputation, and it remains to be seen how the public will react. However, it’s important to note that the administration still has time to turn things around by making genuine efforts towards transparency and accountability. If they continue to ignore the concerns of the media and the public, their support will likely erode further.
Interview with Guest 2: A Journalist from Busan Ilbo
Question: As the reporter who was directly criticized by Senior Secretary Hong, what was your reaction to his comments?
Guest 2: I was surprised and disappointed by Mr. Hong’s remarks. My question was based on a concern shared by many people about the administration’s handling of the Myung Tae-gyun scandal. His comment that the President apologized
