Roh: Reaction to MBC Show “Extreme”

President Roh Moo-hyun expressed concern yesterday over MBC’s PD Notebook show, which raised questions on the sources of eggs for Hwang Woo-suk team’s embryonic stem cell research, and the extreme reaction of netizens to it.

Roh posted a comment titled: “Looking at public opinions on a media report related to stem cell research” on the Cheong Wa Dae homepage. It read: “I received a report on MBC’s PD Notebook program covering Professor Hwang Woo-suk’s stem cell research. Their coverage was originally based on an assumption that the research itself was false, and because of that, Hwang was having a very hard time. That was ridiculous.”

He added, “A couple of days later, Park, Ki-young, the information and science technical advisor of the presidential secretariat came to consult with me about measures, reporting that in the process of MBC PD Notebook’s coverage of egg donation issues, journalists were very heavy-handed and intimidating. He also reported that researchers couldn’t do their job as they were under stress and anxious.”

Roh pointed out, “I was also irritated by MBC’s article and heard suspicious stories about how they covered stories. Phone calls and letters of complaint were justified, but canceling advertisements before and after the program is extreme. That could translate to an atmosphere of social fear that discourages criticism.”

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com