The association said it was unbelievable that Chung had repeated his "wrongly perceived media views" in the radio interview, with the Buddhist network Pyeonghwa Broadcasting. The association said it would take active measures to seek redress for the damage done to the honor of Korean journalists.

The association said Chung's excuse only made newspapermen angrier, and called for the civil servant to make an official apology and make clear his position, a signal to take responsibility and step down.

Two reporters from the Naeil Sinmun have filed suits against the government and Chung, and are asking for W10 million ($8,500) each, claiming their honor was damaged. One, Nam Bong-woo, Naeil's chapter chief to the association, and Lee Kang-yeon, who covers the information service, said in their claim that in their jobs they had done their best to ensure the people's right to know and never took money from anybody.

Due to Chung's false claims, they said, they had suffered an enormous amount of shock and anguish.

At the interview with Pyeonghwa Broadcasting, Chung said that his remark about "taking responsibility" after the article came out last Friday was not a signal that he would resign, but that he would determine who within the agency was responsible for the "mistake." Later, he repeated his claim that the Korean media engage in erroneous reporting "beyond imagination." (Han Jae-hyun, rookie@chosun.com )