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ONE WORD 
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The KBS program “New Issue In-depth Report” broadcast a report on Tuesday about the candlelight protests that have been taking place in the capital opposing U.S. beef imports. Just 14 minutes into the program, the scene switched to footage of the pro-democracy protests in June 1987. Images of protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and riot police suppressing the demonstration was followed by an interview with former lawmaker Woo Sang-ho, who was the Student Council president of Yonsei University during the pro-democracy protests. Woo said they fought for their lives at that time and described the situation as “war.”
The interview was followed by comments from a narrator who said the pro-democracy protests gained the support of the public, leading to 5 million people taking part and getting the military regime to surrender. Accompanying those comments were four minutes of footage of Yonsei University student Lee Han-yeol, with his head drooping after being hit by a round of tear gas, a million people gathering in front of City Hall during Lee’s funeral and an interview with his mother saying the candlelight vigils today remind her of the June protests. Then, as the scene switched back to the present-day candlelight protests and City Hall, the narrator said the public are calling for democracy again just as they did in June of 1987.
The intention of KBS was to drive home its view that the candlelight protests have the same purpose and meaning as the pro-democracy protests against a military government. KBS said democracy had “disappeared” in Korea and that demonstrators were crying out for it once again. In other words, it is comparing a democratically elected leader to a military dictator. The network is inciting an anti-government movement.
In an editorial on June 30, the Hankyoreh newspaper said the scene on Taepyeongro in downtown Seoul on the morning of June 29 resembled the streets of Gwangju on May 18, 1980; soldiers armed with rifles and bayonets were the only things that were missing this time. An emergency council that the People’s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease, some religious groups and politicians are trying to form is modeled after the citizens’ group that spearheaded the pro-democracy protests in 1987.
KBS has placed itself at the vanguard of groups trying to overturn the government, calling out for another democracy movement. How much longer must we sit and watch KBS use public airwaves to incite people to take to the streets?
The Daily Chosun |
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