Park Jung-kyu, the president of South Korea’s online publication NewsDaily Biz, called for coverage of an anti-Samsung film to be taken down following pressure from the South Korea-based technology giant. Later Park Jung-kyu sent texts apologizing for the article to Samsung, but the texts were also sent to Pressian journalists accidentally. Pressian published the texts with names redacted.
The film in question was Another Promise which details a fictional version of Hwang Sang-ki whose 23-year old daughter Hwang Yu-mi died of acute leukemia in 2007. Hwang Yu-mi along with other workers worldwide had been exposed to chemicals in a Suwon-based Samsung plant. In 2011 Hwang Sang-ki won a case against Samsung in Seoul with judges stating that it was highly likely that the chemicals were the cause.
In the film, Samsung was changed to Jinsung and other details were slightly altered to avoid legal trouble. Another Promise was financed via crowdfunding and donations.
Samsung has faced many suits due to unsafe work conditions in addition to various gas and acid leaks in their native plants.
Pressian censored the names of those involved in the texts as well as NewDaily Biz. Mediatoday later published the text messages in full:
“To fix the trust issue between Samsung Group and NewDaily, I plan to do my best. I spoke with Park Jong-moon, who told me that Samsung was upset about the Another Promise article we published last month.” Park went on to say, “After looking into the details, I have directly ordered to take the post down. The columnist didn’t have any ill intent, and the senior managers didn’t notice it at all.”
Pressian asked the president of NewDaily Biz about the messages and Park said the article was a double post. He also said that Samsung didn’t threaten him to drop the article.
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