hankyoreh

who is seen in this clip taken from an MBC news broadcast. Kim is one of the producers of “PD Notebook” who worked on the documentary program segment that questioned the government’s decision to resume U.S. beef imports last year.

Journalists at MBC maintain their program production boycott in protest against the replacement of MBC’s primetime “News Desk” anchor Shin Kyung-min. MBC president Ohm Ki-young hinted on April 15 that he may step down if the journalists do not return to work. The labor union of MBC and the Emergency Countermeasure Committee say in response they will continue their boycott, that has entered its seventh day, indicating that instead of negotiating, the president “could cause the situation to end in catastrophe.”

In the second consultation meeting on fair broadcasting between the management and the union earlier in the day which included discussions about the editorial management of the “News Desk” program, Ohm said, “Please let me handle these issues regarding the chief editor. If reporters and editors continue to avoid reporting the news for fear of offending the government, I won’t tolerate it,” referring to a broadcaster’s failure to report about bribery allegations surrounding Cheon Shin-il, chairman of a travel company who is considered to be a supporter for President Lee Myung-bak. “If there are no signs of improvement, I will make a personnel reshuffle to hold related people accountable,” Ohm said.

However on this issue, Ohm added, “If you continue to put pressure on me, as someone who has the power to oversee personnel appointments, asking for the resignation of the Chief Editor, I will not accept it.” Ohm also said, “I would have no choice but to regard it as a refusal against me,” adding, “If it is, I think that there is no need for me to stay at MBC. I would have no choice but to make this decision in regards to my position.”

In response to the remarks by Ohm, Moon So-hyeon, a journalist in charge of public relations at the MBC union, said, “The president showed no willingness to resolve the issue of the resignation of the chief editor.” “We will discuss the direction of our terms, including a call for resignations of executives, in a union meeting on April 16,” Moon said. As of 4:00 p.m. that day, the Emergency Countermeasure Committee also decided in a meeting to continue the program production boycott, and demonstrating outside of MBC with placards because its demand for the resignation of the Chief Editor was not heard.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]