GROUNDED

South Korean President Bans Broadcaster From Plane After NYC Hot Mic Row

The move comes after the network reported that Yoon Suk Yeol had made rude comments about U.S. lawmakers.

A dispute about press freedom is brewing in South Korea after a broadcaster’s reporters were banned from flying on the president’s plane in the wake of an embarrassing hot mic incident. Yoon Suk-yeol barred journalists from South Korean broadcaster MBC from joining him on his equivalent of Air Force One as he heads to a series of international events around southeast Asia on Friday. “The boarding of the presidential jet has been a service provided to help with coverage of foreign policy and security issues, and in consideration of MBC’s repeated distorted and biased coverage of foreign policy issues recently, we have decided not to provide the service,” Yoon’s office said in a message to MBC. Although the presidential office did not detail where the perceived distortion had occurred, staffers previously disputed coverage of an alleged hot mic incident in New York City in September. Yoon was heard criticizing lawmakers, with MBC saying the insulting comments were about U.S. Congress members under Biden. Yoon’s office said the remarks were taken out of context.