South Korea: Journalists Stage Mass Walkout from National Broadcaster · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Journalists of one of South Korea's biggest commercial television networks, the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) have been on indefinite strike since January 2012 demanding fair journalism. Around 400 unionized employees [ko] launched the strike, and the dispute is intensifying as more journalists, anchors and producers allege that MBC has omitted and minimized coverage on politically sensitive issues. On March 4, 2012, 166 journalists announced they would quit their jobs [ko] in protest.
Among the allegations are that MBC rarely reports on rallies against a free trade deal with the United States, and have underreported a questionable purchase of land by President Lee Myung-bak for his retirement home. Furthermore, MBC's president, Kim Jae-chul stands accused of censoring and wielding his personal influence on MBC News and MBC's signature investigative program, the PD Notebook, rendering the programs journalistically impotent.
South Koreans have shown support for the strike, although it means that some of their favorite programs are now on hiatus.
An uphill battle
MBC television journalist, Jung Woo-young (@mbcjwy) tweeted [ko] his experience of the strike:
파업 36일..아내가 좋아하는 음악학원을 끊자고 아이를 설득합니다. 사장은 세명의 해고자를 만들었고 용역 수십명을 사내에 배치했습니다. 정치권은 공천 밥그릇 챙기기에 바쁘고 눈치보는 언론들은 애써 외면합니다. 그래서 MBC 파업 꼭 이기고 싶습니다.
South Korea's best-selling author and one of the nation's top 5 influential twitterers, Lee Oi-soo (@oisoo) tweeted [ko]:
보아라, 양심 있는 자들이 울면서 직장을 떠나고 있다. 한사코 붙박여 비굴한 눈칫밥으로 연명하는 사람들아. 인생길 가다 보면 오르막도 있고 내리막도 있는 법. 기다려라. 당신들이 울면서 떠나갈 날도 얼마 남지 않았으니[…]
The MBC labor union's twitter account @saveourmbc linked to a YouTube video [ko] of a photo montage of journalists fighting for fair journalism including the names of those who were fired:
They also posted a photo of “company-hired thugs” being briefed in the MBC building:
사측에서는 청경 충원이라는 입장.. RT @saveourmbc: 김재철이 부른 용역 사진 한장 더.. 공개 스튜디오에 모여서 뭔가 교육받고 있나 봅니다.. 잘만하면 백명 될듯.. twitpic.com/8s4x1v
Photo of company-hired gang/extra security force inside MBC building, Twitter photo by @saveourmbc
Han Hak-soo (@mbcpdhan), an MBC producer whose twitter profile reads, “Now on strike […] MBC has collapsed. Resign Kim Jae-chul” posted photos from a rally.
Photo of MBC strike, Twitter Photo of @mbcpdhan
About 40 movie directors released a statement [ko] supporting the strike. The Korean Twittersphere lit up with various responses, mostly tweets that express understanding and encouragement.
Song Yo-hoon (@syh24) tweeted [ko]:
공정방송 회복을 위한 MBC 파업, 앵커들도 가세. 김재철 사장에게 묻습니다. 공영방송 MBC가 당신의 개인기업입니까? 권력의 소유물입니까? 사장에서 물러나라는 구성원 절대다수의 요구가 당신의 개인재산을 내놓으라는 것입니까? 대답할 수 있습니까?
@imdramafan tweeted [ko]:
해품달이 파업 때문에 후반작업에 어려움을 겪고 있다고 한다. 무도는 이번주에도 결방이라고 한다. 마음대로 마이크잡고 펜잡고 카메라 잡기 힘든 세상이 되어버렸다. 굴하지마세요! 화이팅 #무도
When asked in an interview whether he would ever consider stepping down as a way of taking responsibility for the fiasco, Kim Jae-chul responded [ko] that he will not resign until he is, “laid in a coffin.”