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President-elect Roh Moo-hyun talked in detail on national issues on Saturday in an interview with the Internet newspaper OhMyNews, and said that tax and prosecution investigations, and financial sanctions imposed on the media were illegal and ineffective. However, Roh continued that he can do mush to reform the media by cutting off collusion with government officials. He said in the past civil servants entertained reporters in an attempt to lessen criticism, and this would stop.
Roh said he would strictly use legal methods in correcting or rebutting unfavorable reports, and not personal connections, and impose a ban on government and Cheong Wa Dae subscriptions to first editions of newspapers.
He commented that the media should not talk about change, as it retained the old family style ownership system and represented the establishment, while saying it was the flag bearer of reform, when in reality it resisted all change and reform. Roh said Cheong Wa Dae would issue daily briefings as had his transitional committee when he is inaugurated.
With regard to the investigation into the SK Group, Roh said he only found out about this through newspaper reports, but noted that business management should be transparent and principled, and reform should not be politically led. He added that standards on the investigation into inheritance at SK would be applied legally to all conglomerates, and if the courts ruled flexibly no new law on this would be needed.
On North Korea, Roh said it was appropriate to reveal all domestic events concerning an illegal money remittance, but that the National Assembly should investigate all matters on this and other issues, before any decision to introduce an independent counsel.
Roh said comments that his Cheong Wa Dae staff were too ideological, were only voiced by media questioning reform.
(Kim Chang-kyun, ck-kim@chosun.com )
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