이석기 사건·천안함 프로젝트 상영 중지 보도
프랑스 위성방송 ‘France 24’가 통합진보당 이석기 의원의 ‘내란음모’ 사건과 보수단체들의 압력으로 상영이 중지된 영화 ‘천안함 프로젝트’를 소개하며 한국이 정치적 마녀 사냥에 휩싸여 있다고 보도했다.
11일 ‘France 24’의 ‘아시아 라이브(ASIA LIVE)’는 “한국의 야당 국회의원이 한반도에서 전쟁이 발발할 시 남한 정부의 전복을 돕기 위해 무장봉기를 음모한 혐의로 구속되었다”며 “이석기 의원이 군사독재정권 몰락 후 내란음모죄로 기소된 첫 국회의원이 되었다고 보도했다. (☞‘France 24’ 해당 뉴스 보러 가기)
방송은 한국의 국가안보가 진정한 위협에 처한 것인지, 아니면 좌익운동가들을 탄압하기 위한 마녀사냥을 정당화하기 위해 사용되어지는 것인지에 대한 의문을 표하며 진보당 김재연 의원의 “문제는 단지 북한을 비난하지 않으면 남한의 적으로 간주된다는 것이다. 한국의 이런 상황은 마녀 사냥과 상당히 유사하다”는 인터뷰를 내보냈다.
‘France 24’는 이어 영화 ‘천안함 프로젝트’가 상영 중단된 과정을 전하며 백승우 감독의 “한국이 언론의 자유를 보장하는 민주주의 국가라고 생각했었기에 상영철회로 인해 충격 받았다”는 발언을 내보내기도 했다.
방송은 “그러나 정부가 종북으로 의심되는 자에게 행하는 이런 아슬아슬한 행위는 국민들에게 인기가 상당히 높다”면서, <중앙일보>의 여론조사를 인용해 응답자의 62%가 진보당의 해체를 원하고 71%가 이석기 의원의 구속이 적절했다는 결과를 전했다.
또한 방송은 말미에서 이 의원의 정보를 제공했던 국정원이 지난 대선에 여론조작 혐의로 조사를 받고 있고 이와 관련, 많은 질문들이 답변되지 않은 채로 남아 있다고 보도했다.
한편 ‘정의와 상식을 추구하는 시민네트워크’에 따르면, ‘France 24’는 ‘CNN’과 ‘BBC’ 등 기존 뉴스 채널과 경쟁을 벌이고 있는 최대방송 중 하나로 지난 2006년 첫 방송을 송출했고, 케이블과 위성으로 프랑스어, 영어, 아랍어, 스페인어 등으로 방송을 송출하고 있다.
정상추는 “‘France 24’는 전 세계 90개국 이상의 8000만 가구, 1억9000만 명이 자사의 뉴스를 볼 수 있을 것으로 전망했으며 세계 여론 주도층을 주요 시청 대상으로 삼고 있어 이번 보도는 파장이 클 것으로 보인다”고 밝혔다.
| 다음은 정상추 네트워크의 ‘France 24’ 보도 번역 전문 SOUTH KOREA'S POLITICAL WITCH HUNT Some of the rest of the news making waves in South Korea Last month a South Korean opposition lawmaker was arrested on charges of plotting an armed rebellion to help overthrow the South Korean government in the event of war on the divided peninsula. The MP Lee Seok-gi who is affiliated with the far-left Unified Progressive Party became the first member of the national assembly to face treason charges since democratically elected leaders replaced country's previous military dictators. So, is South Korea facing a genuine threat against its national security or is this situation being used to justify a witch-hunt against the left-wing activists? This report by Marie Linton, Guillaume Bression, and Samuel Songhoon Lee and Justine McCarry. Every Saturday in Seoul, South Korean nationalists gather to hurl insults at North Korea. But, now they have a new target, fellow South Koreans who may be accused of supporting the communists North. "We came to make it clear that we want to destory North Korean sympathisers and break up their group. These people are not fit to be South Korean citizens." The demonstrators have set their sights on members of the left-wing party who have been accused of conspiring to help North Korea overthrow the government in the South. The allegations have gripped South Korea. Four members of the Unified Progressive Party have been indicted including Lee Seok-gi. Lee, who is awaiting a trial, is the first South Korean lawmaker who has been imprisoned on treason charges in the South since the country became a democracy in the 1980's. "For the time being, Mr. Lee cannot meet anyone, not even members of his family." Kim could be the next UPP lawmaker facing indictment. But she insists her party has not broken the law. "But the problem is that you are considered an enemy of South Korea, simply for not criticizing North Korea. The situation in this country is increasingly resemblant of a witch-hunt" This independent filmmaker believes he too is a victim of that witch-hunt. In his new doc-umentary, Baek challenges the official explanation of the 2010 sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean naval ship in which 46 sailors died. The film suggests that the vessel may not have been struck by a North Korean torpedo. Today right-wingers are trying to stop the doc-umentary from being shown to anti-government protestors. "No matter how hard any group or person in power tries to stop the film from being shown, the screenings will go ahead." Although a legal attempt to ban the film was unsuccessful, it's been dropped by the Megabox, a major South Korean cinema chain. "I was shocked by what happened because I had always thought that South Korea was a democracy that guaranteed freedom of speech. But under this conservative government the atmosphere has changed." But the government's top stunt towards the suspected North Korean sympathizers is popular among South Koreans. According to a recent poll in JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, 62% of the respondents said that they wanted the Unified Progressive Party to be dissolved and 71% said arresting Lee Seok-gi was appropriate. Andrew Salmon in Seoul, so what is the lastest on that case? Oh Well, I think that all reports pretty much summed up the lastest in this case, I think the broad question here is which is the role of the NIS, National Intelligence Service, which provided the intelligence leading to the arrest of Lee Seok-gi. The NIS itself is under probe for its alleged vote rigging during last year's presidential election. So remain a large number of unanswered questions hanging over this case at present. I will continue to follow with your help, Andrew Salmon. Thank you very much Indeed. That was ASIA LIVE. |
