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| President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, right, talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, left, after attending the seventh replenishment conference of the Geneva-based Global Fund in New York, last September. Newsis |
By Lee Yeon-woo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs filed a lawsuit against MBC, requesting a correction to its previous report on President Yoon Suk Yeol's remarks caught on a hot mic during his visit to New York last September.
The foreign ministry filed a lawsuit against MBC CEO Park Sung-jae with the Seoul Western District Court last Dec. 19, according to sources in legal circles on Sunday.
Yoon's verbal gaffe was caught on a hot mic during his trip to New York last September. His remarks, which were not clear due to noise, were broadcast by MBC with a subtitle that indicated foul language directed to the U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Congress.
Last October, the ministry filed a complaint to the Press Arbitration Commission requesting that the broadcaster issue a correction. The result was not successful as both sides failed to reach an agreement on the issue. If the arbitration fails, one can proceed to file a lawsuit.
MBC refused to issue a correction at the time, because it does not consider the report to be "false."
The foreign ministry explained on Sunday that the lawsuit has been filed to "correct the facts" and "restore trust to Korea's diplomacy." It said that "MBC's 'incorrect' media reports damaged Korea's credibility in diplomatic activities both at home and abroad."
"As a department that manages Korea's alliance with the United States ― at the core of Korea's diplomacy ― the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the biggest victim in the MBC report and has the right to file a lawsuit," it added.
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