Prosecutors blast latest ‘PD Diary’ beef episode
Published: 27 Jan. 2010, 20:59
Prosecutors yesterday condemned MBC for airing a “PD Diary” episode devoted to the broadcaster’s arguments over the controversy surrounding the U.S. beef imports while an ongoing court battle remains to be settled.
“Ahead of an appeals trial, MBC, where the accused are employed, aired an episode of its own arguments using airwaves, which are public property,” the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said in a press release. “We are extremely upset by MBC’s action.”
PD Diary, a current affairs program, aired an episode on Tuesday about the acquittal of its five staffers. On Jan. 20, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted four producers and a scriptwriter of charges that they defamed government officials and obstructed the business of U.S. beef importers by broadcasting controversial PD Diary episodes about mad cow disease in 2008. Following a one-year investigation, prosecutors concluded last June that the MBC staff members deliberately created a biased report about the safety of U.S. beef and the risk of its being infected with mad cow disease. In the process, prosecutors said, the station defamed then-Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun and Min Dong-seok, former deputy minister and chief negotiator on the U.S. beef import deal. After MBC staff members were acquitted, prosecutors immediately filed an appeal.
It took less than a week for the PD Diary to strike back. The new episode, titled “PD Diary acquitted in the initial criminal trial,” was aired Tuesday night, reporting on evidence that served as the basis of the ruling. Enraged prosecutors defended the indictments and their decision to appeal.
“The accused refused to submit key evidence during the initial trial, hiding under the justification of protecting sources,” prosecutors said in the statement. “They only selected data that are favorable to them and created a new episode. Instead of airing another biased report, they should submit the raw data to the appeals court to lay bare the truth.”
Prosecutors said they had carefully reviewed evidence before filing the indictments, but the court acquitted the accused after interpreting the evidence in a completely different light. “That was why we had filed the appeal,” prosecutors said, adding that they would do their best to serve the public by seeking a reasonable verdict during the appeals trial.
By Ser Myo-ja, Lee Chul-jae [[email protected]]
“Ahead of an appeals trial, MBC, where the accused are employed, aired an episode of its own arguments using airwaves, which are public property,” the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said in a press release. “We are extremely upset by MBC’s action.”
PD Diary, a current affairs program, aired an episode on Tuesday about the acquittal of its five staffers. On Jan. 20, the Seoul Central District Court acquitted four producers and a scriptwriter of charges that they defamed government officials and obstructed the business of U.S. beef importers by broadcasting controversial PD Diary episodes about mad cow disease in 2008. Following a one-year investigation, prosecutors concluded last June that the MBC staff members deliberately created a biased report about the safety of U.S. beef and the risk of its being infected with mad cow disease. In the process, prosecutors said, the station defamed then-Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun and Min Dong-seok, former deputy minister and chief negotiator on the U.S. beef import deal. After MBC staff members were acquitted, prosecutors immediately filed an appeal.
It took less than a week for the PD Diary to strike back. The new episode, titled “PD Diary acquitted in the initial criminal trial,” was aired Tuesday night, reporting on evidence that served as the basis of the ruling. Enraged prosecutors defended the indictments and their decision to appeal.
“The accused refused to submit key evidence during the initial trial, hiding under the justification of protecting sources,” prosecutors said in the statement. “They only selected data that are favorable to them and created a new episode. Instead of airing another biased report, they should submit the raw data to the appeals court to lay bare the truth.”
Prosecutors said they had carefully reviewed evidence before filing the indictments, but the court acquitted the accused after interpreting the evidence in a completely different light. “That was why we had filed the appeal,” prosecutors said, adding that they would do their best to serve the public by seeking a reasonable verdict during the appeals trial.
By Ser Myo-ja, Lee Chul-jae [[email protected]]
Related Korean Article
26일 MBC 방송에 “편파” 비판
농림부 “항소심 영향 줄 우려”
검찰은 ‘광우병 보도’를 했던 MBC PD수첩 제작진에 대한 무죄판결과 관련된 MBC의 후속보도 방송에 대해 “국민의 재산인 지상파를 이용해 일방적 주장을 보도한 것을 유감스럽게 생각한다”고 27일 밝혔다.
PD수첩은 26일 ‘형사소송 1심, PD수첩 무죄’ 제목의 방송에서 법원에 제출된 증거자료를 내세워 무죄판결의 이유를 설명했다. 검찰은 사건 수사를 맡았던 전현준 금융조세조사1부장 명의로 낸 보도자료에서 “피고인들은 취재원 보호라는 명목으로 원본 자료 제출을 거부하면서 자신들에게 유리한 자료만을 발췌해 이와 같은 편파적 방송을 했다”며 “항소심에서는 원본 자료를 제출해 진실 규명에 협조해야 한다”고 밝혔다.
한글 원문 기사 보기
26일 MBC 방송에 “편파” 비판
농림부 “항소심 영향 줄 우려”
검찰은 ‘광우병 보도’를 했던 MBC PD수첩 제작진에 대한 무죄판결과 관련된 MBC의 후속보도 방송에 대해 “국민의 재산인 지상파를 이용해 일방적 주장을 보도한 것을 유감스럽게 생각한다”고 27일 밝혔다.
PD수첩은 26일 ‘형사소송 1심, PD수첩 무죄’ 제목의 방송에서 법원에 제출된 증거자료를 내세워 무죄판결의 이유를 설명했다. 검찰은 사건 수사를 맡았던 전현준 금융조세조사1부장 명의로 낸 보도자료에서 “피고인들은 취재원 보호라는 명목으로 원본 자료 제출을 거부하면서 자신들에게 유리한 자료만을 발췌해 이와 같은 편파적 방송을 했다”며 “항소심에서는 원본 자료를 제출해 진실 규명에 협조해야 한다”고 밝혔다.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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