Park Ji-won, a member of South Korea's Democratic Party, has publicly condemned the SBS union’s reaction to an apology regarding the network’s report on President Lee Jae-myung’s alleged ties to organized crime. He expressed his opinions via a Facebook post, criticizing the union for its outrage and labeling it as absurd. Park pointed out that mistakes in reporting necessitate corrections and that media outlets have a responsibility to rectify errors to maintain credibility and respect of their audience.

The controversy stems from SBS’s program 'I Want to Know That,' which reported allegations dating back to Lee's tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province. This report sparked further accusations in 2021 during the run-up to the presidential elections, including claims that he received 2 billion KRW from a specific crime faction. Although these allegations were initially investigated, they were later proven to be false. Park emphasized that those who first reported on these accusations bear the responsibility to issue retractions or apologies when found to be erroneous. He communicated the importance of accountability in journalism, comparing it to the practices of reputable media organizations like The New York Times.

In response to the controversy, the SBS production team has already issued an apology for the unfounded allegations. However, the SBS union made a statement criticizing President Lee. In this heated backdrop, Lee called for the SBS union and the ruling party, which he accused of orchestrating such fabrications for political purposes, to acknowledge their mistakes. He stated that their failure to apologize for the dissemination of false information would endanger the democratic discourse within the nation.