The Chonnam Tribune listened to students’ opinions on two social issues. What do you think about these issues? – Ed.

These days, it has been the subject of controversy that the People Power Party (PPP) has accused the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) of reporting President Yoon Suk-yeol’s hot mic gaffe in New York in September. The political party pressed for criminal charges against MBC, claiming that they manipulated subtitles and distorted public opinion. But I think this accusation by the PPP is not an appropriate action. The media has a responsibility to tell people what is happening in the world. So, this issue deserves to be reported because it shows not only the president’s inappropriate actions but also their influence on the relationship between the United States and South Korea. MBC claims that they delivered President Yoon’s statement without any interpretation or value judgments. I think it was right to report the gaffe because the network did not distort the facts.

Therefore, I think the PPP’s criminal charge against MBC is a suppression of the press, or a violation of freedom of speech. The freedom of the media and the freedom of speech must be guaranteed for the people’s right to know. As they should be able to know various pieces of information freely and easily, the right must be protected. If this situation of press suppression repeats, the media will be intimidated and press freedom will diminish. However, the freedom given to the media without any restrictions can also cause other various problems, so freedom of speech should be guaranteed except for reporting false news that distorts facts. With freedom of speech guaranteed, I hope that the media reports facts quickly and accurately. As the influence of the media is huge, it is most important to provide reliable information to the people with responsibility

By Kim Si-yeon, Tribune Reporter