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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

South Korean broadcaster criticized for owner-biased reports and promotion of family businesses

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Regional broadcaster G1 has faced growing criticism after a news report featured the underage grandson of its controlling shareholder without disclosing the family connection.
  • The broadcaster’s union said reports also promoted companies linked to the shareholder’s son and son-in-law, while failing to identify those relationships.
  • G1’s chief executive promised an ethics committee investigation, possible disciplinary action and a review of editorial decision-making, while the regulator examines the facts.

Criticism of alleged “broadcast privatization” at South Korean regional broadcaster G1 has intensified after a news report featured the underage grandson of the station’s controlling shareholder.

The report, aired last month, followed a teenager completing a difficult route on Seoraksan mountain. It presented the climb as an inspiring story of a young person’s “special homeland experience,” but did not disclose that the teenager was the grandson of Cho Chang-jin, chairman of SG Construction, G1’s controlling shareholder.

Our wish is broadcasting independence.

— National Union of Media Workers and G1 Broadcasting branchThe union used the slogan at a rally calling for an investigation into owner-related coverage.

The G1 union said company managers acknowledged during a labor-management fair broadcasting meeting that they had ordered the report and knew the teenager’s relationship to the owner’s family. The union also cited promotional reports involving businesses linked to Cho’s son and son-in-law. None of those reports identified the connections to the controlling shareholder.

The fairness and independence of broadcasting concern residents’ right to know, democracy in the local community and G1 Broadcasting’s existence.

— National Union of Media Workers and G1 Broadcasting branchThe union explained why it considered the allegations a broader public issue.

The controversy has revived longer-running concerns at the station. SG Construction became G1’s largest shareholder in 2017. The broadcaster received a formal warning in 2018 over coverage promoting apartments sold by SG Construction. From 2023 to 2025, reports criticized competitors of an SG-owned supermarket affiliate and golf course, prompting claims that G1 was representing the owner’s interests. Workers also pointed to an increase in reports about Cho’s activities and charitable stories after the acquisition.

G1 chief executive Jeon Jong-ryul said the company viewed the matter as serious and would investigate through its ethics committee, hold responsible those found at fault, and review its internal reporting and production systems. The union called for an independent external investigation, disciplinary action, an apology broadcast and measures to prevent a recurrence. The relevant broadcasting regulator is examining the facts, including why the station did not submit a required report on coverage involving the largest shareholder and related parties.

We take this matter seriously and consider it grave.

— Jeon Jong-ryulG1’s chief executive outlined the company’s response after meeting the unions.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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