Photo Captured of a New York Times Article Screen

Democracy in Paradox: The Tug-of-War Over Press Freedom in South Korea Under Yoon's Administration

By Byung Kee Park

Seoul, South Korea — Recently, the New York Times, in its November 10 article, highlighted President Yoon Suk Yeol's crackdown on what he labels "fake news," emphasizing the global concern over South Korea's press freedom under his regime. 

The newspaper points out the government's use of lawsuits, national regulations, and criminal investigations to suppress media reports, painting a grim picture of the state of journalism in the country.

While South Koreans take pride in their vibrant democracy and free press, President Yoon's approach to the media, characterized by clashes with the opposition and fears of censorship, raises questions about the future of these hard-won freedoms. The current trajectory suggests a troubling paradox: a nation that values democracy yet struggles to maintain the foundational pillar of a free and independent press.

Many experts in Korea were worried about President Yoon's perspective on media last year. In 2022, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed grave concerns about South Korean President Yoon's actions towards the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), a major public media group. President Yoon's administration has taken steps deemed discriminatory by RSF, leading to a call for reconsideration. The measures include suspending regular press briefings and restricting MBC journalists' access.

This escalating situation stems from MBC's September 22 broadcast, which showed President Yoon making what seemed to be disrespectful comments after meeting US President Joe Biden at the UN General Assembly. The Yoon administration retaliated by accusing MBC of damaging national interests and imposing several restrictions on the broadcaster. These restrictions notably included barring MBC journalists from the presidential plane, erecting a barrier in the press room, and suspending routine media briefings.

Cédric Alviani, the head of RSF's East Asia Bureau, has been vocal about the importance of media freedom in a democracy. He stated, "A head of state should not determine how the media reports on their activities or what questions are appropriate." His statement underscored the essential role of journalists in challenging power and serving the public interest.

The situation was further complicated as members of President Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) filed complaints against MBC, and the PPP-led Seoul Metropolitan Council sued MBC executives for defamation. Alarmingly, an MBC journalist received online death threats, necessitating police protection.

Moreover, the PPP-led Council also cut funding for Seoul Media Foundation TBS, citing bias and unfair reporting. These actions have raised significant concerns about the state of press freedom in South Korea, widely recognized as a leading democracy in Asia.

The South Korean media landscape is marked by a dominance of conservative newspapers in print media, while the broadcasting sector, led by the public Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), offers more diversity. However, government regulations allow significant influence over the appointment of senior management in public broadcasters, potentially jeopardizing their editorial independence. The recent appointment of Park Min, a former conservative newspaper editor, as KBS president, followed by swift changes to progressive programming and personnel, has intensified criticisms of media oppression under the Yoon administration.

On his official inauguration day, the newly appointed president of KBS, Park Min, initiated a significant shake-up within the organization. This overhaul included replacing nine department heads and center directors and reassigning 60 key executive-level staff members. Among the notable changes was the removal of popular radio broadcaster Joo Jin-woo from his position. The top-rated TV current affairs program "The Live" was abruptly removed from the schedule. In response to these sweeping changes, the KBS Journalists' Union voiced grave concerns, stating that "another unfortunate chapter in the history of public broadcasting has begun" and signaled their intent to engage in proactive measures against these actions.

RSF World Press Freedom Index ranking of South Korea is a matter of concern. From a significant improvement during the Moon Jae-in administration, rising from 63rd in 2017 to 41st in 2019, the country has seen a downward trend in recent years. The current state suggests a potential further drop in the rankings, especially given the government's actions against journalists and media outlets perceived as unfavorable.

RSF evaluates press freedom across five categories: political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and safety. South Korea's press freedom rankings are notably low in several categories. In the political context, which evaluates the degree of politicians' support and respect for media autonomy, South Korea ranks 54th. This low ranking reflects a need for more political support for media independence.

The country's legal context, assessing the freedom of journalists and media outlets to work without censorship, judicial sanctions, or excessive constraints on freedom of expression, is ranked even lower at 60th. There is a significant concern that this ranking could drop below 70 next year due to the current government's practices. These practices include issuing search warrants and conducting investigations on journalists and media outlets that produce articles unfavorable to the government, along with numerous legal actions that infringe on journalists' freedom.

In the economic context, which measures financial restrictions related to government policies, South Korea stands at 48th. The sociocultural context, evaluating attacks on the media based on gender, class, ethnicity, and religion, sees the country at 52nd. Regarding safety, which involves the security of journalists and their families from threats, coercion, and harassment, South Korea ranks 34th.

Given these standings across the five categories, there is a concern that South Korea's overall ranking in press freedom could decline to below 50th or even 60th in the 2024 report. This decline would indicate a continuing trend of deteriorating conditions for press freedom in the country.

The New York Times, in a recent article, highlighted that President Yoon, since his election last year, has been targeting media outlets under the guise of fighting disinformation. The report indicates that police and prosecutors have repeatedly raided the homes and offices of journalists accused of spreading 'fake news.'

Critics, including progressive opposition parties and journalist associations, accuse President Yoon of suppressing media reports to combat false information. According to recent surveys, many journalists in South Korea feel that media freedom has regressed under Yoon's regime.
 

The New York Times also detailed instances of media oppression, such as raids on journalists from Newstapa and other media outlets, the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review Committee's attempts at online newspaper censorship, and the barring of MBC journalists from the presidential plane following their 'Biden/Impeach' hot mic report. These actions have contributed to a perception that South Korean media, while appearing to operate in a robust democracy, have long been under the influence of corporate interests and partisan bias, leading to low public trust.

The report concludes by reflecting on the irony in South Korea's situation. South Koreans are proud of their vibrant democracy and free press, achieved after decades of military dictatorship. However, under President Yoon, known internationally for aligning closely with the United States and frequently speaking of freedom, his tenure has been marked by continuous conflicts with the opposition and growing concerns over censorship and democratic regression.