hankyoreh

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“There is nowhere left in the Republic of Korea to tend to the pain and tears of the working class. I hope the Hankyoreh will listen more closely to the voices of the working class and underprivileged, and keep marching with them.”

This was the powerful message shared by Hankyoreh shareholder Song Gwang-seop at the newspaper’s 27th shareholders’ meeting on Mar. 14 at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seoul.

The Hankyoreh is South Korea’s only publicly-owned newspaper, launched just after the democracy movement of June 1987 with funds from some 70,000 citizens. For this reason, its annual shareholders’ general meetings are different from those of ordinary companies, where a handful of majority shareholders tend to make all the decisions. Instead, they feature small and employee shareholders engaging in heated debates over ideas for the company‘s future development.

The Ahn Jung-geun Children’s Choir performs at the Hankyoreh annual shareholders’ general meeting on Mar. 14 at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seoul. (by Kim Bong-kyu

The March 14 event was no different.

“I got married in 1987, and in those days a house in Hwagok [a neighborhood in Seoul] cost 10 million won, with a key money deposit of 8.5 million (around US$8,000 in today’s money),” recalled shareholder Lee Soon-ae. “I would have made a huge profit if I‘d bought a house, but instead I paid 1.5 million won for shares in the Hankyoreh.”

“That was my hard-earned money I put into my Hankyoreh stocks, and I hope the company will make more of a social contribution going ahead.”

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Another shareholder, Song Yeong-geun, suggested reporters should be paid more.

“Reporters need to have their livelihood issues solved if they’re going to write good articles,” Song said. “Hankyoreh reporter salaries should be raised to the level they pay at the big news outlets.”

Hankyoreh CEO Jeong Young-moo delivered a message of gratitude to the shareholders.

“I’d like to offer my respect and thanks for the way you took part as shareholders when things were tough and made the Hankyoreh what it is, and the way you’ve encouraged us since then,” Jeong said.

“I salute the shareholders who created the Hankyoreh and helped it to exist like a child to his parents,” he added before delivering a deep bow to loud applause and cheers from the shareholders.

“I can feel the strong vibrations and power of this occasion, with all of you gathered with your heartfelt feelings toward the world and toward the future,” Jeong continued.

“We will become a Hankyoreh that can give light and hope to our society,” he pledged.

In a departure from past years, the 2015 shareholders‘ general meeting also featured a preliminary cultural event with various performances. The aim was to make the meeting into an occasion for becoming closer with the shareholders.

Poet Kim Sun-woo performs a reading at the Hankyoreh annual shareholders’ general meeting on Mar. 14 at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seoul. (by Kim Bong-kyu

The cultural event, which was emceed by Hankyoreh culture desk chief Kim Young-hee, featured a choral performance by the Ahn Jung-geun Children’s Choir, a reading by poet Kim Seon-woo, and a celebratory performance by singer Jeon In-kwon.

The Ahn Jung-geun Children’s Choir performed “Give Peace to Us” as an expression of their namesake’s “spirit of peace in East Asia,” as well as the “Amnok River March,” a representative piece sung by the Korea Liberation Army during the Japanese occupation.

Kim recited the commemorative poem “To the Wind, the Closest to People,” which he wrote for the Hankyoreh‘s 25th anniversary in 2013, and “Remembering My Endless Revolution, 2011,” which tells the story of laid-off workers at Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction. Jeon drew loud applause from the shareholders with performances of “Sanoramyeon (In My Life),” “Desperado,” and “Yesterday.”

Jeong also delivered “Hankyoreh shareholders of the future” certificates to members of the children’s choir.

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By Choi Hong-wook, Hankyoreh shareholders newsletter reporter

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