KBS Denies BBC Allegations on Jung Joon-young Case, Requests Correction

▲ Korean singer Jung Joon-young appears in KBS' '2 Days & 1 Night' in 2016, in this captured photo provided by the broadcaster. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean TV broadcaster KBS has refuted claims made in a BBC documentary that the network was involved in the illegal filming accusations against singer Jung Joon-young during the airing of '2 Days & 1 Night' in 2016. 

KBS announced on the 21st that it plans to request a correction from the BBC, stating that the allegations are "groundless."

In a statement, KBS clarified, "KBS has never contacted the victim related to Jung Joon-young, who was involved in the 'Burning Sun' scandal." The network expressed strong regret over the BBC's report and indicated plans to request a correction to set the record straight. KBS also warned that it might consider legal action if the correction is not made.

The controversy arose from a BBC documentary titled 'Burning Sun: The Women Who Took Down K-pop's Biggest Predators,' produced by the BBC World Service's investigative team 'BBC Eye' and released on YouTube by BBC News Korea. 

The documentary covers the stories of journalists who investigated the sex scandals involving prominent K-pop stars, including the 'Burning Sun' case, and mentioned Jung Joon-young's 2016 illegal filming allegations.

▲ This image, captured from BBC documentary "Burning Sun: The Women Who Took Down K-pop's Biggest Predators," shows the main participants of KBS' reality show "2 Days & 1 Night," including singer Jung Joon-young. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Jung Joon-young was accused in 2016 of illegally filming parts of his then-girlfriend's body. Due to the accusations, he temporarily left the KBS variety show '2 Days & 1 Night'. However, after the police and prosecutors concluded that there was no evidence of wrongdoing, Jung returned to the show three months later.

The BBC documentary claimed that a KBS lawyer contacted the woman who accused Jung of illegal filming, suggesting that "if the evidence was insufficient, she might face serious penalties for false accusations," which allegedly led her to withdraw her complaint out of fear.

Following the release of the documentary, speculation arose online that KBS might have mobilized its legal team to protect Jung, a cast member of '2 Days & 1 Night'. In response, reporter Park Hyo-sil, who was interviewed for the documentary, clarified in an article titled 'KBS Not Involved in Covering Up Jung Joon-young's Sexual Crimes.' 

Park stated that the information about a "KBS lawyer contacting the victim" was not something she conveyed to the BBC. She explained that the lawyer mentioned in her interview was actually the victim's lawyer, not a KBS lawyer.

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