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UNI Media, Entertainment & Arts today condemned the Korean government’s intimidation campaign against MBC TV, called for the release of detained journalists and the end of an investigation that has terrorized media staff.



Lee Geun-Heng, local union president at Korean broadcaster MBC TV, said it has felt the pressure from government officials who have launched an investigation into MBC’s reporting on the danger of importing US beef with a risk of mad-cow disease in the program “PD Notebook.”



MBC TV broadcasted “Special Report, US Beef will be safe from mad-cow disease?” on April 29, 2008.



“This intimidation campaign against MBC TV must end immediately,” Lee said. “The investigation into ‘PD Notebook’ staff is clearly an attack on media freedom and sends a clear message to all journalists that they may face prosecution if their reporting turns up information critical of the Lee government.”



Authorities have detained some MBC staff who worked on a program about mad cow disease in the US and negotiations to import US beef into Korea. Former Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Chung Woon-Chun has accused the program of libeling him and the Presidential administration, deliberately exaggerated the risk of U.S. beef and defamed Korean negotiators.



Union members were able to fend off a recent attempt by the prosecutors' office to enter MBC TV’s offices in Seoul.



But on April 15 an MBC producer, Kim Bo-Seul, was arrested in front of the home of her fiancé’s parent’s, who she was going to meet a wedding ceremony scheduled for April 19. On March 25 prosecutors detained producer Lee Chun-Keun but released him on March 27 after strong criticism from unions and civil society groups.



Prosecutors have also monitored individual emails and telephone calls and searched the homes of six staff working on the PD Notebook program. These staff members have been living in the MBC TV building with protection of the union because they will face arrest immediately if they leave the building.



As of April 13 MBC TV anchor Shin Kyung-Min was forced to resign after authorities accused him of criticizing the current political situation and government policy in his closing remarks on the main news program.



All MBC TV producers and journalists have joined a protest against his resignation, which they believe this is due to political pressure from the government. The staff have called for the resignation of the Head of NewsDesk, one member of broadcaster’s senior management who they say pushed Mr. Shin from the anchor post.



UNI believes that the government must end its pressure on MBC TV, call off the investigation and make a public apology for its tactics and affirm its commitment to press freedom and democracy.



UNI will extend its international solidarity to support Korean media workers union NUMW and MBC TV union members to defend workers’ rights and editorial independence in broadcasting.