[Editorial] Government's Worrisome View of the Media

The government's approach to the news media is problematic any way you look at it. First there was controversy over the Government Information Service's guidelines for dealing with media that maliciously misrepresent government policy, and it has been revealed that the Justice Ministry submitted a report to Cheong Wa Dae describing legal options that could be taken in such cases. The ministry's proposals largely center on supporting lawsuits against media companies and journalists that might be filed by the law firm the government is supposed to hand over funds for when it is created in April of next year. They say the proposals were drafted at the direction of president Roh Moo Hyun.

The current government has experienced friction with a few media outlets from its first days in power, and subsequently it is quite sensitive about news reports. Some of the conservative media's malicious coverage and deliberate attempts to harm the government do of course go too far. Often you are left wondering what the goals of their criticisms are, and it's understandable that the government feels abused. However, it should not go about the problem of false news reports by creating a separate classification for so-called "malicious news media" so that it can engage in systematic legal measures. Such methods will fail to resolve the problem and will only make relations with the media worse.

The government's approach could end up hurting the media's ability to cover the news. The freedom of the press is essential in having democracy function properly and must not be harmed. Even democratic government's naturally feel the temptation to want to tame the media to its liking, but the media and the press inevitably need to maintain something of a tense relationship. An appropriate degree of tension is desirable also from the perspective of society as a whole.

If the government feels its policies are being discredited by incorrect reports the solution should be found in the transparency that comes with actively disclosing and explainin information related to those policies. The government should take a look at itself before finding fault with the media.

The Hankyoreh, 6 September 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]