[The Hankyoreh, July 18 2008] Media groups to act against punishment of MBC

Constitutional complaint in the works, strike planned for next week

Media organizations immediately denounced the Korea Communications Standards Commission’s July 16 decision to impose a heavy punishment on national broadcaster MBC for investigative reports about mad cow disease televised on the current affairs program “The Producer’s Notebook,” saying they will file a constitutional complaint and stage a one-day strike.

The KOCSC ordered MBC to apologize to viewers for airing the segment “U.S. beef, is it really safe from mad cow disease?” over two episodes on April 29 and May 13. The decision was approved by six out of nine KOCSC members, with the remaining three members having walked out in protest. The six members were appointed by either President Lee Myung-bak or the ruling Grand National Party.