As it was revealed that the Seoul Transportation Corporation made a response document to create negative public opinion against groups of people with disabilities who were protesting to ensure the right to move and defined the ‘progressive media’ as a target to fight, criticism of the corporation’s ‘attempt to manipulate the press’ continued. there is. There were also criticisms of the media that published the press release as it was to create public opinion by the corporation.
On the 17th, YTN announced, ‘”Find the faults of disabled groups”… Through the report ‘Controversy over documents in response to the Seoul Transportation Corporation’, the contents of a document written in the name of an employee of the press team of the Public Relations Department of the Seoul Transportation Corporation was written in response to the protests for the disabled. According to the report, the document contained inappropriate content that it is difficult to destroy the perception that people with disabilities are socially weak, so it is necessary to find out mistakes that occur during the protests and report them to the media.
In the document, not only groups of people with disabilities, but also measures to respond to progressive media including media specializing in people with disabilities were indicated. The document stated, “The Jeon Jang-yeon (National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities) is trying to bring about public opinion by direct and physical activities with the disabled groups, and the activists and media that support it, to pressure decision makers and to amend laws.” ‘Media media for the disabled’ and ‘other media that emphasize empathy for the weak’ were defined as organizations related to Jeonjangyeon.
[관련 기사: 미디어오늘: 장애인 지하철 시위 대응 문건 ‘진보언론’ 겨냥했다]
The document stated, “We have to fight the established press + media exclusively for the disabled with the principle of ‘the weak are good’. This is especially true for certain media that show high values of progress and value progress.”
As an example, the Kyunghyang Newspaper article ‘Acts to seek rights of people with disabilities… Let’s not hit it because it’s uncomfortable (2/2/2022)’, Hankyoreh article ‘Cyber attack on subway protesters with disabilities… ‘Stop Hate (2022.2.15)’ and OhmyNews’ article ‘A Look at How the Media Reported the Disabled Demonstration (2021.12.23)’, which published the newspaper broadcast monitor report of the Citizens’ Alliance for Democratic Press.
Referring to B-miner, a media specialized in disability, “the media exclusively for the disabled, represented by B-minor, report the position of the disabled.” “B-minor is a complete party newspaper with CEO Jeon Jang-yeon as a founding member. It is a minor media, but as a journalist, it is sufficient for public opinion purposes.”
Opinion creation Press release continues to be criticized by the media
In response, the Citizens’ Solidarity for Media Reform (Media Solidarity) issued a statement on the 18th, demanding that “Seoul Transportation Corporation stop playing the media and communicate with the disabled.” The solidarity said, “We cannot help but be outraged that the document was quoted as it is by the media as well as the low perception of the transportation vulnerable of the KTO.”
The solidarity pointed out that the wrong press of the Seoul Transportation Corporation was also a problem. “The KTO pointed out the Kyunghyang Shinmun, the Hankyoreh, and Oh My News, and dismissed them as “established media with the principle that the weak are good.” In addition, Beminer criticized it as “disrespecting the media and articles that have been working to improve the human rights of social minorities, including the disabled,” saying that “the media exclusively for the disabled” and “the party’s newspaper” were sold.
There were also criticisms of the media that published the press release to create public opinion by the corporation. The solidarity said, “On the 22nd of last month, the corporation distributed a press release highlighting the ‘citizen’s inconvenience’ caused by the protests for the disabled, and it was reported by many media outlets as the corporation intended.” “In particular, the case of ‘my grandmother’s death’ was used provocatively by the media, helping to stop the legitimate protests of the disabled. The JoongAng Ilbo even sent out an article that turned it into a fact that “I missed my death” and emphasized that “the media should apologize and correct the related article even now.”
In fact, on February 22, the Seoul Transportation Corporation said, “The conflict between Jeon Jang-yeon and the subway users is gradually intensifying. There are also unfortunate stories, such as crying and protesting at the scene saying that the train cannot be stopped.”
Many media reported the case of ‘grandmother dying’. ‘Seoul Transportation Corporation’ Grandmother’s dying passengers… ”(Chosun Ilbo, February 22), ”The passenger missed his grandmother’s death.’ Transportation Corporation, request to stop the protests for the disabled’ (Jungang Ilbo, 22nd), ”Keep your grandmother on her deathbed… ‘A group of people with disabilities requested to refrain from construction due to a protest on the way to work’ (Donga.com 22nd), ‘I have to go to protect my death’, and a group of people with disabilities ‘Tara Bus’ (Seoul Economic Daily, 23rd), ‘I have to go to death’, a group with growing dissatisfaction , subway protests stop’ (Money Today 23rd), media reports highlighting the case continued.
The document introduces this as a ‘case that responded well’ and said, “While preparing a press release for public opinion, I requested help from the Customer Safety Support Center, checked the facts, and used (this case) as a material to inform the public about the damage situation. After the report on February 23, public opinion deteriorated sharply,” he explained.
“The simple dictation practice of the media was clearly revealed in this case as well,” the Yantai said. Regarding the ‘citizen’s inconvenience’ frame, “This frame-making has not changed even though we have been warned that it is dangerous in that it covers the actual person in charge. Can the media be held accountable for the results? It is deplorable how long we have to see such behavior.”
In a comment on the 18th, the National Press Workers’ Union also defined the KTO’s document as an ‘attempt to work with the press’. The National Media Workers’ Union said, “We condemn the Seoul Transportation Corporation’s attempts to manipulate the press by trampling on the demand for universal mobility.” They are revealing without filtration the lowly perception that the media are being subjected to divergence and manipulation.”
He continued, “In this vulgar phrase of treating the socially underprivileged as an object of oppression and creating public opinion to defeat them, we confirm the root of hate and discrimination that is widespread even in the public sphere,” he said. said
Meanwhile, groups of the disabled, including Jeon Jang-yeon, held a press conference in front of the Seoul Transportation Corporation headquarters in Seongdong-gu, Seoul on the 18th and demanded a public apology and resignation from the president of Seoul Transportation Corporation Kim Sang-beom. They emphasized that “they were shocked by the press release of the corporation, which promotes hate and discrimination against the socially disadvantaged.”
