Broadcaster Jun Hyun-moo has denied allegations that his spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan on the MBC variety show I Live Alone was sponsored by broadcasting endorsements, but document shortfalls during the vehicle rental process have been confirmed.

According to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan on the 26th, the embassy posted a notice on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Safe Travel website the previous day titled "Notice on Precautions Regarding Local Driving for Short-term Visitors (Travelers) in Kazakhstan." The embassy stated, "Even if you hold an international driving permit, you cannot drive without the original South Korean driver's license and a notarized Russian translation."

While South Korea issues international driving permits under the Geneva Convention, Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Vienna Convention and does not recognize international driving permits issued by South Korea. Even if an international driving permit is notarized by a South Korean embassy or consulate-general, driving locally is not permitted.

However, in the episodes of I Live Alone broadcast on the 14th and 21st, the process of Jun Hyun-moo taking a spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan and renting a vehicle immediately by simply presenting an international driving permit and passport was broadcast as is, prompting some to raise suspicions that the production crew had made prior arrangements.

In response, the production team of I Live Alone directly refuted the claims, stating, "We have not received any filming support or sponsorships." An acquaintance of Jun Hyun-moo, A, posted footage on social media from a past spontaneous trip they took together, stating that they were "the actual videos that served as the motif for this Kazakhstan episode," and Jun Hyun-moo showed support by pressing the "like" button on the post.

Nevertheless, issues arising from the vehicle rental process at the local car rental company remained separate.

The production crew acknowledged that filming proceeded without awareness of the procedural issues, stating, "After receiving inquiries following the broadcast, we checked with the embassy and belatedly confirmed that a separate notarization process is required." They added, "The embassy conveyed that they will issue another notice to prevent harm to local citizens. We will be more meticulous in producing our broadcasts moving forward."



(Photo: SBS Entertainment News, Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon)