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Journalists voice concern over the so-called ‘New Plan for Modernization of Media Support’

Journalists have increasingly raised concern about major curbs on press freedom as the government is taking steps to implement what it calls a “plan for the modernization of media support.”

Among other changes, the government’s plan is aimed at consolidating press rooms run by government ministries and banning journalists from meeting government officials in their work. Two consolidated press rooms began operating on August 13 in two major government buildings in Seoul and Gwacheon.

Criticism over the consolidated press rooms aside, what worries journalists most is the government’s restriction on face-to-face meetings between journalists and government officials because it could lead to information control.

According to media guidelines published by the Government Information Agency (GIA), government officials are required to consult with their public relations departments in order to support the media’s work. “In principle, face-to-face meetings with journalists should be made at the consolidated press rooms, or other designated places, with prior approval from a ministry chief. Up to now, journalists have made appointments directly with government officials and met them in their offices.

Kang Ho-cheon, head of public relations team at the GIA, said, “If the chief of a ministry allows a ministry official to meet a journalist at his or her office, it is allowed.” However, the journalist is required to report face-to-face meetings to the GIA, Kang said. “The government official must advise the ministry’s spokesman of the meeting either before or after it takes place. In particular, regarding matters on which the government has not yet taken an official position, the official must consult with the spokesman before the meeting.”

If the plan goes into effect, it is certain that both journalists and government officials will feel pressure in their meetings and the freedom of the press will be undermined.

The GIA would like to have a list of government officials who have met journalists and the list would then be recorded. What’s worse, the GIA had even considered introducing a plan to require journalists to carry electronic chip-embedded identification cards so as to analyze their movements and monitor the overall use of its press room. This plan was recently scrapped amid strong criticism from the media.

In fact, a journalist from a daily newspaper who covers the Ministry of Finance and Economy said, “From the journalists’ point of view, it will force them to be discouraged. How many newsworthy remarks will a government official make in an open meeting?” He added, “As for government officials, the plan is good for some of them because it will let them avoid meetings with journalists if they don’t want to meet.”

Under the circumstances, the possibility is high that the government’s media plan may curb the flow of information, public opinion and criticism by the press. So far, the press has benefited from the government’s whistleblowers when it has published articles critical of the government’s policies. Sometimes, through face-to-face meetings, the media has published stories about problems in government policies, even if they were not yet confirmed, and helped officials to fix the problems. Unlike in Western countries, most of the information on governmental policy in South Korea is monopolized by the administration.

Regarding these concerns, Kang, of the GIA’s public relations team, said, “In principle, the government’s policies should be announced with a unified voice,” indicating that the government is trying to decrease the exposure of its “different” voices.

In the end, the government’s media “modernization” plan may increase the degree of government censorship on the press and lead to mass-produced stories perfectly suited to fit the government’s taste.