SBS investigative program 'Unanswered Questions' issued an official apology regarding reports it aired eight years ago alleging a connection between President Lee Jae Myung and organized crime.
On March 20, the program stated in an official release, “We apologize for raising allegations without solid evidence.”
The statement clarified, “The allegations linking then-Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae Myung to the Seongnam International Mafia were legally proven to be untrue. ‘Unanswered Questions’ apologizes for raising suspicions without clear evidence, including the fact that Governor Lee was listed as a defense attorney at the time.”
The allegations originally aired on July 21, 2018, in the episode titled 'Power and Organized Crime: One Year After the Pattaya Murder Case.' The segment claimed that then-Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae Myung had received approximately 2 billion KRW (about 1.5 million USD) from organized crime during his tenure as Mayor of Seongnam. The claim was made by Jang Young Ha, a former People Power Party district committee member in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
However, the Supreme Court recently confirmed on March 12 that Jang Young Ha’s claims were false and applied the Public Official Election Act for spreading false information, sentencing him to one year in prison with a two-year probation.
In response, the Blue House stated on March 19, “The allegations raised over the years have been legally confirmed to be false. Few media outlets have issued proper corrections. We hope the media will report accurately to clarify public misunderstandings and restore damaged reputations.”
President Lee Jae Myung also posted on X, formerly Twitter, on March 20, saying, “I am curious whether ‘Unanswered Questions’ will report follow-ups and, if so, what the content will be. Thanks to the producer’s miraculous logic and Kim Sang Joong’s realistic acting, I was even falsely depicted as a murderous gangster.”
He added, “To prevent the repetition of burying someone in a grave of lies for political purposes, reflection and apologies are needed from the People Power Party and programs like ‘Unanswered Questions.’ I may be asking too much, but I would like to hear a sincere ‘sorry.’”
Full Official Statement from SBS 'Unanswered Questions'
"Regarding the July 21, 2018 episode, 'Power and Organized Crime: One Year After the Pattaya Murder Case,' the program reported alleged connections between Seongnam-area politicians and criminal organizations, mentioning that then-Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae Myung was listed as a defense attorney for two members of the Seongnam International Mafia in 2007.
Following the broadcast, the Bundang Police initiated an investigation and submitted the case to prosecutors in November 2018 with a recommendation for non-prosecution. The Seongnam District Prosecutors’ Office subsequently issued a non-prosecution decision in December 2018.
Additionally, the Supreme Court recently confirmed that the allegations of Governor Lee receiving funds from the Seongnam International Mafia were false.
'Unanswered Questions' apologizes for raising suspicions without solid evidence, including the fact that Lee Jae Myung was listed as a defense attorney. The program will continue to follow SBS Journalism Guidelines, established in 2024, to ensure accurate and objective reporting."
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