The Korea Economic Daily described the coffee placed in the farmhouse in the lobby of Coupang’s headquarters as ‘beer’ and sent out a false report saying, “We have been drinking since broad daylight.” The Chosun Ilbo also sent out misinformation, and the Munhwa Ilbo even published an editorial criticizing the union by citing the wrong facts, spreading misinformation.
From the 23rd of last month, members of the Coupang Logistics Center branch of the National Confederation of Trade Unions and Public Transport Workers occupied the headquarters lobby to take measures to improve the working environment, such as securing living wages and resolving the problem of harassment.
On the 30th of last month, the Korean economy[단독] Coupang union occupied the head office and had a drinking party in broad daylight’ The union members were sent out. It is stated that the source of the opaque photo of the farmhouse is ‘provided by the reader’.
The article reported, “As it became known that union members were spreading mats in the lobby and even having drinks, voices calling for a strict police response to the union’s overreaching behavior are growing.” “An employee spreads a mat in the lobby of the union company (in an anonymous community blind of an employee), orders beer, and smokes cigarettes in a non-smoking area near the entrance,” he wrote.
However, the report was confirmed to be false. The Coupang Logistics Center branch said in a statement on the 30th, “The drink in the can in the picture is coffee, not beer. They bought churros and brought them to Coupang’s Jamsil headquarters.” The union proved the report to be false with photographic material.
In a call with Media Today on the 1st, Mr. A said, “I placed an order by phone at a relative’s shop in advance, and bought coffee and churros at 1:15 pm on the 27th to support my friend.” I feel like such an article has been published, and I am sorry that I have hurt you.”
The Chosun Ilbo also reported immediately after the report of the Korean economy, “The Federation of Trade Unions and Trade Unions occupied the Coupang headquarters while drinking alcohol… Two security guards were transferred to the hospital during an attempt to force entry.” The article said, “Actually, if you look at the photos taken on the 27th, you can see the members of the KCTU taking off their masks and drinking beer in broad daylight.” As of the 1st, the content related to ‘beer’ and ‘alcohol’ was deleted from the title and content of the article.
On the 1st, the Munhwa Ilbo published an editorial titled ‘Coupang also has to respond in principle to the Confederation of Trade Unions, and the government and corporations must respond in principle’. As the situation continues, there are voices calling for strict police response among Coupang employees.”
The KCTU Public Transport Union issued a statement on the 30th, saying, “The fact that the picture quality reported by the Korean economy is blurry, which prevents the reader from directly determining the identity of the can, makes it clear that the intention of the article is to undermine the labor union struggle. “Even the fact that the source of the photo is ‘provided by the reader’ makes it even more suspicious that the source of the photo is not Coupang’s capital.”
The union demanded that the Korea Economic Daily and Chosun Ilbo delete the article, saying, “If this is not implemented, we will use all means, including filing a complaint with the Media Arbitration Committee, to hold them accountable.”
The National Metal Workers’ Union also commented on the 1st, saying, “It was a ‘planned misinformation’ that broke the basics of the press, and it was an ‘intentional misinformation’ created by the insistence that it should not be canned coffee and should be a bottle of alcohol. deep-rooted union hatred of Before this misinformation article went out, the Korean economy didn’t even report on why workers were lobbying in this sweltering heat.”
As of the afternoon of the 1st, the Korea Economic Daily has not yet deleted the misinformation, and has not even issued any correction information. Jeong Jae-eun, director of the Public Transport Union’s propaganda department, said, “(The Korean economy) requested a correctional information that expressed that the article should be deleted or false. However, we have not heard an answer to him so far, and the article has not been deleted.” “While the Korean economy did not delete the article or acknowledge false information, the Munhwa Ilbo even wrote an editorial. The Chosun Ilbo secretly revised the article.” “Who is responsible for misinformation? The media doesn’t support it. It’s just reporting,” he said.
The Citizens’ Coalition for Media Reform also issued a statement on the 1st, saying, “The Korean economy articles have contributed to obscuring the essence of the struggle of Coupang workers and overlaying the distorted image of ‘a sultan in broad daylight’.” You should apologize for posting another article. And we need to actively take follow-up measures to restore the damage suffered by Coupang workers as well as the correction information,” he urged.
Meanwhile, the reporter for the Korea Economic Daily, who wrote the article, and Jeong Jong-tae, the editor-in-chief, did not respond to Media Today’s call. He also did not respond to a text message from a reporter asking for his position on the misinformation.