'Media Reform'vs.
'Gagging the Press'

President Roh's government 's controversial plan to merge government press rooms

President Roh Moo-hyun has fired the latest salvo to escalate his government's confrontation with the press, particularly major nationwide-circulated newspaper outlets by announcing a plan to merge or shut down some government press rooms.
Since his inauguration, President Roh has been clashed with some most conservative print media outlets on and off. The President's latest clash with the press comes eight months before his presidential term expires.
President Roh indicated some flexibility in his position to what he calls the normalization of the press'reporting practices during a national televised debate, "The President's Talk with Journalists'on June 17, but apparently would not move an inch in major principles of the plan.
The President said, "I will make readjustments with flexibility with regards to the work related to merging and shutting down some government press rooms."He said he will inform relevant government agencies to discuss (with the press) on journalists'reporting conveniences like the right to access information and government officials'cooperation in journalists'reporting. President Roh said he was willing to agree on the formation of a task force if leaders of the Korea Reporters Association want it.
However, the President indicated a possibility that he will push ahead with the plan if they fail to make some process during the discussions.
President Roh made the remarks during the debate with the representative of the media industry, organized by Korea Press Foundation. Those in attendance in the forum were Chung Il-yong, chairman of Korea Reporters Association, Kim Hwan-gyun, chairman of Broadcasting Producers Association of Korea, Oh Yeon-ho, chairman of Korea Internet Newspapers Association, Lee Jun-hee, chairman of Korea Internet Reporters Association, and Shin Tae-sup, chairman of Citizens'Coalition for Democratic Press. But some owners and managing editors of major nationwide-circulated printed media outlets, including Chosun Ilbo and Donga Ilbo, did not participate in the discussion.
President Roh was critical of some most conservative newspapers, saying that the owners and managing editors of the print media outlets, criticizing of the government's move, did not show up as panelists. He noted that the newspapers lashed out at the Roh administration's plan, saying they carried headlines to the effect the likes of "Return backward to the 5th Republic?" "Rppression of the Press,"and "Reporters'Feet Are Tied Up."
The participants sympathized with the framework of the government plan on reporting practices, but they strongly criticized it in detail, saying that the press's reporting opportunities can be undermined.
Concerning the government's plan to ban on reporters'visit to government officials'offices without permission, Chairman Chung, of Korea Reporters Association, said reporters should be given the right to access the offices for reporting, saying the problem is that reporters who are going to make a reporting visit under right procedures will be shut out the offices.
Chairman Oh, of Citizens'Coalition for Democratic Press, said, "in the wake of an open briefing system introduced in 2003, government officials, including ministers and vice ministers, are to blame for mismanagement of news transmitting rooms of such government agencies as Seoul National Police Agency, including issuing an entry passport to only 17 major news media outlets.
Chairman Shin, of Citizens"Coalition for Democratic Press, said the government plan calls for physically merging or shutting some government news rooms without any improvements in making public government information, adding that the Public Information Act and Whistle Blower Protection Act should be revamped.
President Roh said the press's code of conduct bans trespassing, and there are no foreign countries that allow such illegal acts. He added that the government has been knocking itself out in dismantling exclusive reporters'clubs and politicians'objection to the government's press plan shows how weak they are in front of the strong power of the press. nw

(from above) President Roh Moo-hyun. President Roh discusses on media reform with panelists during a national televised debate, "The President's Talk with Journalists."Courtesy on the Government Information Agency