'Questions with Son Seok-hee', which returned after six months, attracted attention with a viewership rating of 8.6%.
According to Nielsen Korea, the viewership rating for the MBC current affairs program 'Questions with Son Seok-hee', which aired on the 29th, was 8.6% based on nationwide households. This is a significantly high figure compared to the 'SBS Entertainment Awards', which recorded 3.5% during the same time slot.
On that day’s broadcast, progressive and conservative commentators, writer Yoo Si-min and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, engaged in a debate about current issues following President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of a state of emergency on December 3rd last year.
Mayor Hong claimed regarding the question of whether the declaration of emergency on December 3rd was a rebellion, "A riot involves murder and arson. Did they mobilize tanks to block tourism? The soldiers just came out and pretended to do something, and it ended in two hours. That is not a riot." He further stated, "Since there was no act of rioting, it cannot be classified as a rebellion," and added, "To determine whether it constitutes a crime of abuse of power is essential," claiming that the rebellion charge was a frame created by the opposition party.
In response, writer Yoo Si-min said, "Even a gang boss wouldn't do this," explaining, "He ignored all legal orders in South Korea, and while being president, he appointed the heads of power agencies. There are the Chief Justice, the Prosecutor General, the Director of the Corruption Investigation Office, and the Chief of Police, all appointed by him. Those people arrested President Yoon and brought him to trial, and the Constitutional Court is reviewing it. Yet he rejects all of that and insists that he is the only one who is right."
Mayor Hong also commented on the state of emergency, saying, "The emergency was broadcast live. What country broadcasts a state of emergency live? How could they do such a clumsy thing? I thought, 'Why did they do such a clumsy thing?' The next morning, they said it was a midsummer night's dream and told us to handle it well," seemingly supporting President Yoon's claim of a 'warning state of emergency'.
In response, Yoo pointed out, "It looks clumsy in hindsight, but it wasn't a clumsy matter." He also explained about the first article of the emergency proclamation, "Those who staged coups in the past did not include it in the proclamation and blocked the National Assembly. The proclamation itself is unconstitutional, so even if it contains unconstitutional content, it was not included in the proclamation." He further criticized, "President Yoon announced it knowing full well that it was unconstitutional."
Yoo also mentioned the reasons for the failure of the emergency, citing the weather conditions that delayed helicopter entry, citizens blocking access to the National Assembly, and the lack of smooth cooperation with the Disaster Management Headquarters, stating, "It failed due to bad luck. If it had succeeded, this discussion wouldn't exist. I don't know what would have happened to the mayor, and I don't know what would have happened to me either. Thanks to the fortunate circumstances and the quick response of the citizens and the opposition in the National Assembly, it appears to be a mere nighttime happening, but in reality, it was a very frightening event."
In response, Mayor Hong laughed and said, "Yoo almost got into big trouble," to which Yoo replied, "But I was told I wasn't on the first arrest list." Mayor Hong continued, "I thought to myself, 'Could they really do it so clumsily even if they declared a state of emergency?' So I saw it as a 'happening'. How desperate must they have been to do such a happening to inform the public?" He continued to speak lightly while laughing, and Son Seok-hee showed a bitter reaction, saying, "This is not something to talk about while laughing."
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
