Mayor Jung Gi-Myoung of Yeosu City: “The Essence of the Yeosu MBC Relocation to Suncheon Controversy is Regional Neglect and a Backroom Deal”
- Date
- 2025.08.14 17:10
- Views
- 90
- Registrar
- 여수시청
-The core of citizens' outrage is the "regional neglect and backroom deal" made without prior consultation.
-A deal made using influence built by the local community… "The details of the pact must be disclosed."
-Urges the broadcaster to engage in sincere communication with citizens.
On July 24, Mayor Jung Gi-Myoung of Yeosu City stated Yeosu MBC's refusal to participate in a public discussion committee, warning, "The essence of the Yeosu MBC relocation to Suncheon controversy, which has angered the region and its citizens, is regional neglect and a backroom deal. Do not obscure this reality by nitpicking or distorting the facts." He urged, "Yeosu MBC must engage in sincere communication with citizens, including participating in the committee."
Mayor Jung also stated, "Yeosu MBC is offering various excuses for its non-participation, including our 'unwillingness to cooperate administratively on rezoning the office building site,' but this is merely an attempt to obscure the core issue." He asserted, "Yeosu MBC's regional neglect and backroom deal cannot be justified or obscured by any excuse."
He retorted sharply, "If a solution couldn't be found even after public deliberation, the citizens of Yeosu would have been disappointed but would have let them go, perhaps even feeling sorry for not being able to help more. Disclose the details of the pact that threw the citizens of Yeosu away like a pair of old shoes."
Regarding a meeting with Yeosu MBC officials on July 15, he explained, “We couldn’t comply with the rezoning request because it raised concerns of preferential treatment and lacked fairness compared to similar requests. Our regret was indirectly expressed with a ‘we’re sorry.’”
He also addressed Yeosu MBC’s claim that he had said 'demanding a public discussion process is inappropriate,' clarifying, “That was a misinterpretation of my intent, which was to say, ‘Let each party prepare their alternatives first, and then enter into discussions.’”
Mayor Jung emphasized, "Even on that day, Yeosu MBC maintained that 'nothing has been decided' regarding the move to Suncheon." He added, "Two days later, when the situation showed signs of escalating as the city demanded participation in a committee, they hastily made the relocation official, thereby admitting that their earlier explanation was a lie. It appears they had already made a deal and were weighing the right moment to announce it."
The Mayor criticized sharply, "Yeosu MBC's pledge to 'fulfill its role as a leading regional broadcaster with programs centered on fairness, public interest, and local identity' has become an empty echo in the face of shareholder interests, and a dagger has been plunged into the hearts of the citizens who have earnestly supported their local station for the past 55 years."
Finally, Mayor Jung stated, "Thanks to Yeosu MBC, we could take pride in having a representative broadcaster in our small city and feel the self-respect of being the number one city in Jeonnam." He concluded, "What our citizens desire is for Yeosu MBC to remain forever as 'Good friends to meet, Yeosu MBC Munhwa Broadcasting'—a representative station of Yeosu that breathes with and is created by its local community, and that speaks for the will of its people."
-A deal made using influence built by the local community… "The details of the pact must be disclosed."
-Urges the broadcaster to engage in sincere communication with citizens.
On July 24, Mayor Jung Gi-Myoung of Yeosu City stated Yeosu MBC's refusal to participate in a public discussion committee, warning, "The essence of the Yeosu MBC relocation to Suncheon controversy, which has angered the region and its citizens, is regional neglect and a backroom deal. Do not obscure this reality by nitpicking or distorting the facts." He urged, "Yeosu MBC must engage in sincere communication with citizens, including participating in the committee."
Mayor Jung also stated, "Yeosu MBC is offering various excuses for its non-participation, including our 'unwillingness to cooperate administratively on rezoning the office building site,' but this is merely an attempt to obscure the core issue." He asserted, "Yeosu MBC's regional neglect and backroom deal cannot be justified or obscured by any excuse."
He retorted sharply, "If a solution couldn't be found even after public deliberation, the citizens of Yeosu would have been disappointed but would have let them go, perhaps even feeling sorry for not being able to help more. Disclose the details of the pact that threw the citizens of Yeosu away like a pair of old shoes."
Regarding a meeting with Yeosu MBC officials on July 15, he explained, “We couldn’t comply with the rezoning request because it raised concerns of preferential treatment and lacked fairness compared to similar requests. Our regret was indirectly expressed with a ‘we’re sorry.’”
He also addressed Yeosu MBC’s claim that he had said 'demanding a public discussion process is inappropriate,' clarifying, “That was a misinterpretation of my intent, which was to say, ‘Let each party prepare their alternatives first, and then enter into discussions.’”
Mayor Jung emphasized, "Even on that day, Yeosu MBC maintained that 'nothing has been decided' regarding the move to Suncheon." He added, "Two days later, when the situation showed signs of escalating as the city demanded participation in a committee, they hastily made the relocation official, thereby admitting that their earlier explanation was a lie. It appears they had already made a deal and were weighing the right moment to announce it."
The Mayor criticized sharply, "Yeosu MBC's pledge to 'fulfill its role as a leading regional broadcaster with programs centered on fairness, public interest, and local identity' has become an empty echo in the face of shareholder interests, and a dagger has been plunged into the hearts of the citizens who have earnestly supported their local station for the past 55 years."
Finally, Mayor Jung stated, "Thanks to Yeosu MBC, we could take pride in having a representative broadcaster in our small city and feel the self-respect of being the number one city in Jeonnam." He concluded, "What our citizens desire is for Yeosu MBC to remain forever as 'Good friends to meet, Yeosu MBC Munhwa Broadcasting'—a representative station of Yeosu that breathes with and is created by its local community, and that speaks for the will of its people."