TV Chosun under scrutiny for false reporting

Posted on : 2018-06-22 16:03 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Network claimed NK demanded US$10,000 per reporter during shutdown of nuclear test site
A scene from a TV Chosun broadcast on May 19 which claimed North Korean officials had demanded US$10
A scene from a TV Chosun broadcast on May 19 which claimed North Korean officials had demanded US$10

A controversial false report by the TV Chosun network claiming North Korea demanded US$10,000 for coverage of the dismantlement of its Punggye Village nuclear test site was subsequent to heavy disciplinary action in the form of “legal measures” by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) broadcasting subcommittee for violation of objectivity. TV Chosun is a conservative network that began broadcasting under Chosun Ilbo on Dec. 1, 2011.

In a meeting convened on June 21, the subcommittee heard opinions and accounts from TV Chosun information center deputy chief Jeong Seok-yeong and political desk chief Kang Sang-gu before reaching a majority decision to refer the matter to the KCSC plenary session. On May 19, TV Chosun aired an “exclusive” on “News 7” claiming North Korea had demanded US$10,000 per person from US journalists for coverage of the dismantlement of the nuclear test site at Punggye Village.

In his appearance before the subcommittee that day, Kang said that he himself had been the segment’s writer rather than Eom Seong-seop, the journalist who delivered the report.

“I basically wrote the piece,” Kang said.

When asked by review committee members if TV Chosun had different journalists investigating stories, writing reports, and reading reports, Kang replied, “There are such cases in the interest of protecting sources.”

TV Chosun claimed the report was based on interviews with two US journalists and North Korean officials. While it did not disclose the names of the US reporters, it described them as “reliable journalists.” But neither of them was actually present for coverage at Punggye Village. South Korean and overseas new outlets confirmed that no such money had been paid by members of the foreign press present at the dismantlement, including CNN’s Will Ripley.

After hearing the accounts, two of the subcommittee’s five review committee members (Yoon Jeong-ju and Heo Mi-sook) called for a “warning,” while one (Shim Yeong-seop) called for a “caution.” Warnings and cautions are legal measures that result in point deductions during annual broadcast assessments. Opposition-nominated committee members Jeon Gwang-sam and Park Sang-su both expressed the view that there had been “no issue.”

TV Chosun previously asked that the accounts be kept confidential for reasons including the protection of sources, but subcommittee chief Heo Mi-sook made the decision to disclose the details.

“Disclosure of the information is more in the public interest than non-disclosure for the sake of the public’s right to know and transparency in the review process,” she explained.

By Moon Hyeon-sook, senior staff writer media correspondent

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

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