Welcome to BASE21

By Chang-nam Lee, Base21 Staff Reporter
(tolerance@base21.org)

Sep. 13 2001

News Analysis

(Seoul, Korea)= The media firm tax probe in Korea is finished, with the government charging media owners with tax evasion and embezzlement.

While this shameful chapter in Korea press history has reached its end, there is conflicting speculation on whether "media in Korea is under suppression or not."

Some progressive Koreans worry that non-Koreans may think that the writing and opinions of the Korean press has been and will continue to be suppressed.

The International Press Institute (IPI) has expressed its concern that politically-motivated authorities have threatened the media's freedom of speech. IPI Director Johann P. Fritz also stated at a press conference that Korean journalists have a fair amount of freedom in reporting and criticizing the government.

This contradiction--condemning the "suppression" of media firms such as Chosun, Donga, and Joongang while congratulating the relatively open atmosphere in which those same media firms operate--was revealed by several Korean civic groups.

"IPI believes that this incident reflects attitudes left over from the 1970s, when the Park Chung-Hee dictatorship had a tight grip on the media, making anti-government statements impossible and dangerous," said one reporter of Hankyoreh Daily.

Not all international journalists have misunderstood the current media situation. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest organization of journalists, after having visited Korea a few days ago, concluded that the "tax probe of media firms is a just act for tax payers, forcing the media firms to pay off their tax dodging." In addition, IFJ said Korean press reform "must not be derailed" by the tax troubles of newspaper owners.

Civic groups involved in the movement for press reform have demanded a committee for media progress in the National Assembly. They argue that such a committee is needed to push for greater media independence from the editorial policies of management, to limit marketing share in the sales of newspapers, and to revise the Periodical Act which explains limits and authenticity of managing newspapers.

"A press council found in many European countries is recommendable for the Korean press. This will improve dialogue and increase flexibility between management and editors," said Young-mo Kim, president of the Journalist Association of Korea (JAK), in a journalist forum.

"Fighting for press reform so that common people can voice their opinion is essential to this goal, and now is the time to start." he added.

"Some journalists argue that press reform should include all those involved--the press, journalists, publishers, and managers." said one journalist of Korean media firm.

The movement for media reform has cooled down from now on. However, now is the time for the Korean media circle to approach this daunting task in a more rational way that yeas and nays have equal positions so that media reform can come to an end of tit-for-tat coma.

(end)