hankyoreh

President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday justified his government's recent decision to close almost all pressrooms at government ministries and agencies, urging local media to follow the norm of advanced countries, presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said.

"In many advanced countries, reporters (covering government ministries and agencies) are not given separate office space for story writing. Nevertheless, local media and some political parties and politicians criticize the latest policy as a crackdown on press freedom and keep resisting the pressroom reform measures," Roh was quoted as saying.

"Unless such unreasonable objections are abandoned, the government will toughen its stance by enforcing the reform policy in accordance with the principles."

By mentioning "principles," Roh suggested that all pressrooms attached to government ministries and agencies could be entirely shut down without exception when the reform policy goes into effect in August. In announcing the pressroom reform policy a week ago, the government said several pressrooms, including those at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae and the Defense Ministry, would survive due to their unique characteristics, while all others would be closed and consolidated into half a dozen briefing rooms.

Cheon said the president was willing to entirely shut all government office pressrooms if local media continue to resist his government's recent decision to consolidate hundreds of government-office pressrooms into half a dozen pressrooms and briefing rooms.

The president made the remarks while presiding over a cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. Roh and the media have maintained uncomfortable relations since his inauguration in February 2003.

Roh and his aides have constantly accused local media of underestimating and even distorting the Roh government's accomplishments in the economy, diplomacy and North Korea policy.
SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap News)