Formal Complaint regarding ABC Interview on 25 April 2014.

한미정상회담 직후 ABC의 백악관 출입기자가 오바마 대통령에게 한 질문(푸틴이 물에 빠질 경우 구해주겠느냐) 관련해서 그 방송을 지켜 본 국민의 한 사람으로서 과연 그 질문이 적절했는지에 대한 의문이 들었고, 특히 크나큰 사고로 인해 마음을 다친 우리 국민들에게 또 하나의 상처가 되었다는 판단에서, ABC측에 레터를 보내기로 했습니다.

제가 국문 초안을 잡고, 양광모 변호사님외 여러분이 영문작업에 도움을 주셨습니다.

2014. 4. 28. 18:20에 ABC 뉴스 측에 메일을 보냈습니다.

ABC의 답변을 기다립니다.

조우성 변호사 

Formal Complaint regarding ABC Interview on 25 April 2014.

Dear editor-in-chief of ABC News and those whom it may concern, 

My name is Wooseong Jo. I am a lawyer in Korea.

I am writing this e-mail in the capacity of a lawyer representing the Korean general public who has recently suffered from the devastating news of the loss of the beloved family and friends who were on board the Sewol ferry that was capsized and sank under the sea. 

First of all, we would like to thank ABC News for your continuous efforts to deliver the truth of each and every event on the globe. We understand that ABC News is the leader of the US broadcasting industry and has a great reputation as one of the biggest broadcasting groups in the world. We understand that ABC, as a member of Disney Corporation and owner of ESPN and other big entertainment groups, will handle the news in a fair manner based on the balanced view; we hope that this is the case for the Republic of Korea (ROK) as well. 

I am writing this letter as the Korean general public, including myself, have some serious doubts/questions about the integrity of ABC news because of the recent news report/incident which has happened in Seoul, Korea. Last week, one of your reporters made a question to the president of the United States of America, Mr. Barak Obama, when he was having a joint press conference with Ms. Park Geun-hye, president of the Republic of Korea (ROK). The Reporter from ABC News, Mr. Jonathan Karl, asked the following question to the U.S. president: “Would you save President Putin of Russia if he is drowning? Do you think Mr Putin will save you if you are drowning?” 

Mr. Karl’s question has been received by the Korean public as a sign of disrespect for the dead of the Ferry disaster; more than 300 people were either missing or lost their lives and almost all the Korean people are moaning for the tragedy. 

The press conference was televised to the Korean Public; people who saw the interview got furious. Even a couple of the Korean media has reported it as a sign of U.S. disrespect to the Korean government as well as the victims of the disaster. 

We want to believe that above interview question does not have any intention to make a fun of the victims of the Korean Ferry disaster, and the Korean general public and I do not want to believe the world’s famous news reporter who has won several awards for his reporting has any intention to make a fun of the Ferry Disaster. 

However, it is very inappropriate, cruel and disgraceful question which was raised in front of the Korean people at a time when the whole nation is grieving for the loss of the people from the unthinkable incident. What the American people would have thought about Korea if a Korean reporter had asked, at the White House, the president of Korea what she would have done if the leader of the North Korea had been drowning while the U.S. people was in deep sorrow for the Hurricane Katrina disaster? 

For the afore-mentioned reasons, I would like to ask ABC to clarify its position regarding Mr. Karl’s question at the joint press conference between the U.S. and ROK. My questions are as follows: 

1. What is true intention of the question raised by Mr. Karl? 

2. Does ABC think that question made by Mr. Karl is appropriate at the time? Is he able to take some examples similar to this question? Does he is able to make another comparison for the same question? 

3. Do ABC and Mr. Karl have ever considered the potential impact that his remarks will bring on the Korean people? 

I would like to ask for your faithful answers to my questions above. We understand that ABC has a great relationship with the Korean market through your related companies, including Disney and ESPN, and we do not believe that ABC wants to damage your reputation in the local market.  

Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully, 

Wooseong Jo

http://www.cdri.co.kr/site/page_lMBf39

어떤 분들은 제가 ABC에 보낸 메일이 상당히 장황하다고 하시던데,

사실 이 메일을 쓰기 위해 저와 양광모 변호사는 몇 시간을 고심했습니다.

하루에도 수만통의 메일을 받는 그들의 눈에 들기 위해서는 어떤 '장치'들을 해야만 할까..라는.

 

그리고 저희들이 활용할 수 있는 모든 협상 skill들을 메일 안에 집어 넣었습니다.

곳곳에 지뢰를 파는 심정으로...

그래서 길어졌습니다.

 

언제 협상 공개 강의 때 이 사례를 근거로 한번 설명드리겠습니다.

'골리앗과의 협상 때에는 어떤 방법을 써야 하는지...'

그리고 그 다음날 아래와 같이 답이 왔습니다.