hankyoreh

Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min (left) answers questions from lawmakers on the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee on Dec. 5, 2024. (Shin So-young/Hankyoreh)

The chief of South Korea’s National Fire Agency stated that when martial law was declared on Dec. 3, then-Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min instructed that power and water be cut off to the Hankyoreh and other media companies.

During questioning Monday at a session of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee, National Fire Agency Commissioner Heo Seok-gon was asked by Democratic Party lawmaker Youn Kun-young whether he had received orders for any electricity and water supply disruptions from Lee at the time emergency martial law was declared on Dec. 3.

In response, Heo said he had received instructions to “cooperate with any requests from the National Police Agency concerning a few specific media companies.”

When asked by Youn if the Hankyoreh was included among those companies, Heo replied, “I think it was.”

In addition to the Hankyoreh, Heo testified that the Kyunghyang Shinmun and MBC were also targets to have their water and electricity cut off. When asked if the Chosun Ilbo was a target, he answered, "I have no memory of that." 

This indicates that there was a widespread attempt to suppress the press, particularly outlets considered progressive, that mobilized the Interior Ministry and even the National Fire Agency. 

When asked about specific measures he took, Heo replied, "Cutting off water and electricity is not something that we can do, so we didn't take any measures."

By Kim Ga-yoon, staff reporter

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