MBC employees block raid by prosecutors over U.S. beef documentary

SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- Unionized employees of MBC, one of South Korea's largest broadcasters, on Wednesday blocked a raid by prosecutors investigating a controversial documentary critical of the government's decision to resume U.S. beef imports last year.

Four producers and two writers at MBC were sued by the agriculture ministry last
year for allegedly distorting facts and exaggerating the threat of mad cow
disease associated with U.S. beef. The documentary, "PD Notebook," suggested
those who consume U.S. beef could contract the human form of the brain wasting
illness.
Tens of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets last summer after the
program was aired, protesting Seoul's agreement with Washington to reopen the
Korean market to U.S. beef.
Prosecutors and investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office
arrived at MBC headquarters in central Seoul Wednesday morning but were blocked
from entry by a cordon of some 200 unionized employees.
The prosecution had demanded MBC to hand over the unedited interviews and other
tapes used in making the documentary.
They presented warrants to detain five members of PD Notebook's production staff,
including producers and writers, for questioning. One producer was questioned
last week after being briefly taken into custody.
"We have no other choice but to conduct a forced investigation as the producers
have not responded to our summons and request for the original tapes," said an
official with the prosecution. He also stressed that the prosecution does not
want physical clashes.
MBC's union denounced the prosecutors' move as "media suppression" and
"anti-democratic."
"We will not yield to such attempts to suppress the freedom of press," it said in
a press release. "We have no other choice but to fight the prosecution, which was
the first to declare war."