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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Lee Jae-myung Calls Daejang-dong Report Fabrication, Demands Award Revocation

From Hankyoreh · (6m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Lee Jae-myung, President of the Democratic Party, accused a Dong-A Ilbo report on the "Daejang-dong development suspicions" of being fabricated.
  • He claimed the report, which won a journalism award, created a fictional character "that person" (referring to himself) and influenced the presidential election.
  • Lee demanded the award be rescinded and an apology issued, stating that such "election manipulation" by media and power institutions should not happen again.

President Lee Jae-myung has leveled a scathing accusation against the Dong-A Ilbo, labeling its award-winning report on the Daejang-dong development suspicions as a "tremendous fabrication." Speaking from Hanoi, Vietnam, Lee asserted that the report, which earned the Korean Newspaper Award for News Coverage, did not uncover facts but instead manufactured them. The core of his grievance lies in the creation of the persona "that person," which he claims was used to falsely implicate him and ultimately swayed the outcome of the last presidential election, which he narrowly lost by 0.73%.

The fact is that it was not fact-finding but tremendous fabrication.

— Lee Jae-myungAccusing the Dong-A Ilbo report on the Daejang-dong suspicions of being fabricated.

Lee's statement, shared on social media platform X, goes beyond a simple denial. He argues that this alleged fabrication had profound negative consequences for the nation, leading to its "regression" and causing "immense suffering" to the people, the repercussions of which are still being felt. This framing positions the Dong-A Ilbo's reporting not just as inaccurate journalism, but as an act of political manipulation that altered the course of Korean history and inflicted damage on the country and its citizens.

By creating 'that person' who is not even in the Daejang-dong recording, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate was defeated in the last presidential election, and the history of the Republic of Korea was changed.

— Lee Jae-myungClaiming the report influenced the presidential election outcome.

From the perspective of the Democratic Party and its supporters, this is a clear case of media bias weaponized for political gain. Lee's demand for the award to be revoked, an apology issued, and the report corrected reflects a call for accountability and a plea to prevent future instances of what he terms "election manipulation" by powerful media outlets in collusion with state institutions. The underlying message is a stark warning against the abuse of journalistic power to influence democratic processes, emphasizing the need for a free and fair media that uphms the truth rather than distorting it for political ends.

Shouldn't the award be canceled and an apology and correction be made now?

— Lee Jae-myungDemanding accountability from Dong-A Ilbo.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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