hankyoreh

The International Federation of Journalists has issued a statement titled “IFJ Condemns Political Interference in Korean Media,” in which it calls on the administration of President Lee Myung-bak to “stop controlling media.” The IFJ is a largely Western organization composed purely of working journalists and boasting 600,000 members in around 100 countries. This organization representing general standards and common sense in journalism is openly criticizing the Korean government, expressing concern over what could be “a catastrophe for press freedom in the country“ for the Korean media.

The IFJ is quite justified in its criticism. About Lee’s organized attempt to replace broadcasting company executives with people close to him, it says Lee’s administration “is trying to manipulate media to suit its political tastes by appointing executives who support him to public broadcasting posts,” and it would be hard to explain the situation any other way. With the prosecution’s investigation into the MBC program “The Producer’s Notebook,” an inquiry lacking clear basis for prosecution in the first place, the investigation “returns to the oppressive policies of the past,” language the IFJ used to describe the pressure on critical news coverage. The statement reaffirms common sense and principles. It is just false sophistry on the part of the administration, the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Donga Ilbo to be looking at the same administration actions and saying nothing is the matter.

This concern for a “disaster” for Korean press freedoms is a prediction that has already become a reality. President Lee has mobilized state organizations like the Board of Audit and Inspection, or BAI, the prosecution, and the police, as well as even private security guard companies in his campaign to control the broadcast media. In the course of doing that, all the democratic practices and procedures, and even the actual laws our society has worked so hard to have in place, are being ignored. Officials at the BAI and the prosecution are being criticized for abandoning both their political neutrality and their basic professionalism. Given their behaviour up to this point, there is little doubt they will continue to care nothing for common sense and how the country views them, it will only be a matter of time before they go to even farther extremes to make press coverage fit the administration’s liking.

The government has already started openly interfering and restricting individual television programs. The EBS program “Jisik Channel E” (“Knowledge Channel E”) was about to run a program about the mad cow disease controversy, but got put on hold because of a single telephone call from the Blue House, and on August 5 the producer got transferred off the program in what appears to have been an act of revenge. The police are investigating YTN for one of its brief “Dolbal Yeongsang” (“Sudden Images”) segments, one that had a scene in which someone curses President Lee. Each of these moves is a knife aimed at shutting the mouth of the press. It is a disaster that should not be found in a democratic state.

Just as noted by the IFJ, these actions are “unacceptable.” If Lee’s administration does not stop this attempt to control the media, the media itself must change and stop it.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]