{
  "id": 19588814,
  "title": "Ruling party lawmaker accused of defamation for calling journalists 'pack of hyenas'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/ruling-party-lawmaker-accused-of-defamation-for-calling-journalists-19588814",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T02:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20261112/ruling-party-lawmaker-accused-of-defamation-for-calling-journalists-pack-of-hyenas"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to prosecutors, ruling party lawmaker Choi Min-hee has been accused of defamation after referring to journalists as a \"pack of hyenas.\" The complaint, filed with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, came a week after Choi made the derogatory remarks in a KakaoTalk group chat. She described the journalists as those who \"do everything to take videos that sow discord.\" The complainant, Lee Jong-bae, a former Seoul city councilmember from the opposition People Power Party, stated that Choi's comments revealed her biased perception of the press and exposed a double standard where the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) chants democracy but disdains journalists who challenge them. Choi addressed the allegations at a press conference at the National Assembly the following day, issuing an apology for her remarks.",
  "summary": "A police complaint was filed Thursday accusing ruling party Rep. Choi Min-hee of defamation for referring to journalists as \"a pack of hyenas.\" The complaint against Choi of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was filed with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency a week after the lawmaker made the comment in a KakaoTalk group chat while referring to an image of photo and video journalists covering…",
  "key_points": [
    "Ruling party lawmaker Choi Min-hee accused of defamation for calling journalists a pack of hyenas.",
    "Complaint filed with Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency a week after Choi made derogatory remarks.",
    "Former opposition member Lee Jong-bae claims Choi's comments reveal biased perception of press."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The defamation complaint against the lawmaker highlights a deepening rift between ruling party officials and the press regarding the role of journalists in political discourse.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Ruling party lawmaker accused of defamation for calling journalists 'pack of hyenas'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/ruling-party-lawmaker-accused-of-defamation-for-calling-journalists",
        "published": "2026-11-12T02:00:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}