“Salute to the Japanese flag” KBS report broadcast communication review committee complaint

A complaint was filed with the Korea Communications Standards Commission to KBS, which broadcast to the effect that ‘President Yoon Seok-yeol only saluted the Japanese flag’ at the welcome ceremony for the Korea-Japan summit.

On the morning of the 20th, Seoul Metropolitan Council member Lee Jong-bae said, “We filed a complaint to the Korea Communications Commission over the false broadcast of the Japanese flag salute related to President Yoon Seok-yeol’s overseas tour by KBS.”

Prior to the Korea-Japan summit through a special news report on the 16th, KBS relayed a welcome event held at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Tokyo, Japan.

KBS anchor Beom Ki-young said, “You just saw President Yoon salute toward the Japanese flag,” adding, “There is a Taegeukgi installed on the podium, but it is unlikely that the honor guard will be holding our national flag.” However, this was an incorrect interpretation. During the broadcast, it was confirmed that the Japanese honor guard was holding both the Japanese flag and Taegeukgi.

▲ President Yoon Seok-yeol, who visited Japan for 2 days and 1 night, inspects the honor guard with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on the followingnoon of the 16th, bowing to the national flags of both countries. ⓒYonhap News

At the end of the report, KBS also said, “In reality, the Japanese honor guard was holding the Korean flag along with the Japanese flag. However, there was a mistake in explaining the situation as only the Japanese flag was visible on the screen,” he said. “I corrected this and apologize for the confusion.”

On KBS’s main news ‘News 9’ on the same day, anchor Lee So-jeong said, “At the welcome ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Residence, which was the first event, the Japanese honor guard held the national flag and the Japanese flag together, and President Yoon bowed in front of the flags of both countries. However, only the Japanese flag was visible on the screen, so there was a mistake in the process of explaining the situation at the time. I apologize for the confusion,” he said repeatedly, but the controversy did not subside.

City Councilman Lee, who submitted the complaint to the Korea Communications Commission, said, “The claim that President Yoon saluted the national flag despite saluting the national flag is clearly false.” corresponds to,” he pointed out.

City council member Lee said, “It is not a simple mistake, as it is impossible to know with the basic knowledge of broadcast anchors, it is an obvious broadcasting disaster and political work disguised as a mistake.” As a result, national prestige is damaged and social confusion is serious. The president of KBS apologizes to the public with a guilty conscience and urges those involved to be severely punished to prevent a recurrence.”

“The Korea Communications Standards Commission strongly urges KBS to impose the highest level of legal sanctions through a thorough investigation as it committed a serious broadcasting disaster,” it said.