KBS has responded to a viewer petition calling for an actress to be removed from one of its dramas because her brother was convicted in connection with a case involving the death of a woman in her 20s who fell from a Busan officetel, stating that it cannot take action against someone solely because of their family relationship.
On September 16, KBS stated on its viewer petition board, "We extend our sincere condolences to the bereaved family." The network continued, "Although we screen cast members for their own criminal history and whether they have been involved in any social controversies, we do not conduct prior background checks on cast members' family members, nor would it be realistically possible to do so."
KBS also made clear that removing the actress or taking other measures against her would be difficult, citing Article 13, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, which states that "no citizen shall be subjected to unfavorable treatment on account of an act committed by a relative." The network added that taking action against someone solely because they are a member of the same family would likewise not be possible.
Earlier, on September 3, the victim's bereaved family posted a petition on KBS's viewer petition board titled "We Are the Bereaved Family of the Victim in the Busan Officetel Fall Case," protesting the appearance of the alleged perpetrator's older sister on television.
The family wrote, "The perpetrator's sister is appearing in a significant role in a KBS evening daily drama, laughing and crying on television while pursuing her career as an actress. Our daughter died unjustly, while the perpetrator's sister continues to succeed as an actress." They appealed to KBS, saying, "As a public broadcaster, please clarify whether you were aware of these circumstances and take responsible action." The petition received 1,260 signatures, meeting the threshold for a response from KBS.
The incident occurred in January 2024 at a ninth-floor officetel in Busan. The victim fell to her death while arguing with her ex-boyfriend, identified as A. A was sentenced to three years and six months in prison in the first trial and three years and two months in the second trial on charges including violating the Stalking Punishment Act and intimidation.
The bereaved family argued that A should also face an allegation of aiding and abetting suicide, citing the fact that the victim was hanging from the window frame at the time of the incident. However, the allegation was not reflected in the court proceedings.
KBS's response to the petition has sparked an online debate. Some users have expressed sympathy for the bereaved family and their pain, while others have urged caution, arguing that holding an adult family member responsible for a relative's actions would amount to a modern-day form of guilt by association.
[Photo = KBS viewer petition board]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
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