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Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, criticized the Roh Moo-hyun administration's so-called "advanced media support system" in a recent report.
RSF last Wednesday released its annual evaluation of press freedoms in 98 countries around the world.
On the press situation in Korea, the report said, "The (Roh) administration in May 2007 adopted new rules entitled 'Measures to develop a modern system of media support' which meant the closure of most press rooms within public buildings in the capital Seoul. New rooms were built but they no longer allowed journalists free access to ministries and major administrations as had been the case previously."
The report continued, "The authorities closed the administration press rooms which had been established for decades, on Oct. 11. The Internet was cut off and equipment removed. One month later, the national police did the same. Police were deployed in front of the building to stop journalists from going in."
The report said, "This reform, which was initiated by President Roh Moo-hyun, was intended to concentrate all official communications into just a few press rooms in Seoul, Gwacheon and Daejeon. Officials were no longer allowed to speak directly to the press."
RSF added, "The new president, Lee Myung-bak, has promised to rapidly resolve this crisis. Elsewhere, the conservative victory should bring an end to various attempts by the center-left presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun to limit the power of the newspapers, Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo, which represent nearly 70 percent of the market of the daily written press."
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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