Son Seok-hee, a veteran journalist with over 40 years of experience, shared his story about receiving offers from the political arena and his reasons for declining them.
Son appeared in the ninth episode of the EBS documentary series 'Witness of the Times' aired on October 11. Starting his career as a newscaster at MBC in 1984, he has played a significant role in South Korean journalism, currently hosting the radio program 'Son Seok-hee's 12 PM.'
He recalled a moment during the first strike for fair broadcasting at MBC in 1988 when he served as the weekend anchor for 'MBC News Desk.' He described wearing a fair broadcasting ribbon inside his jacket while on air as his 'most cowardly moment.'
Reflecting on the 1992 MBC strike, he recounted being arrested while advocating for broadcasting democracy. He shared a photo of himself smiling in a blue prison uniform, explaining that a camera reporter he was close to took the picture, and his smile was a bit awkward.
During his time as an anchor at JTBC in 2014, he discussed the coverage of the Sewol ferry disaster. He explained why he chose to air a still image instead of a video of a phone recording given to him by the father of the late Park Soo-hyun. 'I wanted to avoid sensational reporting and thought about how painful it would be for other bereaved families to see their child's last moments broadcasted,' he said, adding that he sought the father's understanding before airing the still image.
Son, who conducted around 4,600 interviews while hosting 'Son Seok-hee's Focus,' receiving significant attention and achieving the top ratings for 13 consecutive years, mentioned that some encouraged him to enter politics. He stated, 'The suggestion to go into politics and do something significant was the most uncomfortable for me. Politics is not the only way to make a difference; journalism and politics are different realms, and it's important to do our best in our respective fields.'
He also shared an anecdote about the JTBC report on Choi Soon-sil's tablet PC, which ignited the 2016 political scandal, noting that the trust and cooperation of the building manager who witnessed the Sewol disaster were crucial to the report's authenticity.
Reflecting on what has driven him as a journalist for so long, Son concluded, 'I think I enjoy doing what I love and believe I do it well. I want to do it without embarrassment, and that desire for self-satisfaction has been my motivation.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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