Sommaire
Press freedom in Korea has undergone profound changes in recent decades. It has oscillated between democratic openness and a return to forms of state control. The rise of the Internet has nurtured new spaces of expression and fostered unprecedented pluralism. It has also given rise to new forms of surveillance and censorship. The evolution of the Korean media landscape under progressive and conservative presidencies highlights the persistent tensions between journalistic independence, government regulation and political pressure. These dynamics are shaping the contours of a still-fragile democracy.
The emergence of the Internet and new issues
Press under progressive presidents
Under the presidencies of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, South Korea saw a gradual return to freedom of expression and a more open media climate. Kim Dae-jung, elected in 1998, promoted a pluralistic public sphere. He reduced the censorship inherited from authoritarian regimes and was more tolerant of criticism of the government. His successor Roh Moo-hyun continued this trend. He increased the transparency of political action by opening up press conferences. He also used the Internet to communicate directly with citizens. This period thus marks a transition towards a more independent press, even if certain limits remain in practice.
Press under conservative presidents
Under Roh Moo-hyun (노무현), the Internet developed rapidly and became a major tool for the majority of households in South Korea. This raises new issues, linked to the emergence of web articles and broadcast media. A large part of the Korean population now consumes these media. They become a set of state-monitored channels, a surveillance that becomes abusive and illegal under Lee Myung-bak’s regime (이명박).
Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013)
In 2010, Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) denounced “draconian laws that create too many specific restrictions for web users, undermining their anonymity and encouraging self-censorship” in South Korea (The Korea Times, 2010). The government is imposing verification of Internet users’ real names. This measure comes against a backdrop of deterioration in Korean democracy since 2008.
Media independence and freedom of expression are threatened by increased state intervention in the Internet and the media. The conservative government of Lee Myung-bak (이명박) is interfering directly in the management of major news and broadcasting channels. It places certain high-ranking officials and allies at the head of these companies. These executives then control the content and political leanings of the media.
State-controlled companies such as KBS, MBC and YTN are losing their editorial independence, despite opposition from journalists. At the joint meeting of the IFJ (International Federation of Journalists) and UNI Global in September 2010, it was reported that some “160 more journalists have suffered disciplinary sanctions since the Lee government was inaugurated in 2008. These sanctions include suspensions, salary cuts, warnings and probation orders against employees of YTN, MBC and Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)” (International Federation of Journalists, 2010).
These abuses prompted numerous associations, unions and IFJ associates to call for the independence of these media to be respected. This mobilization confirms the concrete and real recognition of a fall in press freedom in Korea.
Internet monitoring and surveillance
During this period, the state did more than simply control the media. It also stepped up surveillance of online activities. As already mentioned, the compulsory registration of real names on the Internet considerably reduces data confidentiality. This measure constitutes an attack on the privacy of Korean users, previously protected by anonymity.
Striking KBS journalists confirm this practice. On Reset KBS News 9, they reveal the existence of 2,619 documents. These files prove the illegal spying on civilians between 2008 and 2010 by a team of senior civil servants.
The government is multiplying its measures: involving allies of the president in the corporate management of the main media outlets, suppressing anti-government content (notably following Lee Myung-bak’s (이명박) decision to revive the import of American beef). By the end of the 2010s, this context had established real control over information. Democracy is in clear retreat, and press freedom is plummeting: Korea’s press freedom index was the lowest in the world in 2010 (The Korea Times, 2011). This context is maintained following the introduction of Park Geun-hye (박근혜) to power in 2013.
Park Geun-hye (2013-2017)
Under the regime of Park Geun-hye (박근혜), censorship persists, and government efforts to suppress opposition and restrict freedom of expression are numerous, notably through the use (later deemed abusive by Korea’s Constitutional Court) of the National Security Act1 and the criminal prohibition of defamation2. Article 7 of the latter could explain some of the facts mentioned later in this section, since even after its 1991 amendment, it grants substantial discretionary power to prosecute those with dissenting opinions.
These strict laws in South Korea, through their misuse by the government, have led many content providers to censor themselves, for fear of being prosecuted. In the same vein, a number of regulatory measures aimed at deleting articles, comments and so-called defamatory content, as well as limiting the publication of online newspapers, have emerged, calling into question simple access to entirely neutral and independent publications and information. This issue, and the question of the close link between the state and the media, came to the fore once again when the Park administration was accused of manipulating MBC and KBS, by appointing conservative, pro-Park CEOs to head these major broadcasters (who were subsequently dismissed following a strike).
A fall in Korea’s press freedom index
This significant and alarming fall in democracy and press freedom in Korea is spelled out and confirmed by Freedom House in 2016: it classifies Korea’s net freedom status as “Partially Free”, and gives it a press freedom score of 33/100 (0 being the best score, 100 the worst). Also, in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, South Korea is ranked 70th out of 196 countries for press freedom in 2016 (Reporters Without Borders, 2016). It ranks 43rd in 2018.
According to The Korea Times, “media efforts to expose Park Geun-hye’s (박근혜) corruption, as well as President Moon Jae-in’s (문재인) efforts to end strikes at MBC and KBS, are the main reasons for this improvement” (The Korea Times, 2022).
A step backwards for democracy?
Finally, the conservative mandates of Lee Myung-bak (이명박) and Park Geun-hye (박근혜) marked a sharp decline in press freedom and media independence in South Korea, notably through government censorship practices, illegal surveillance and manipulation of broadcasting outlets. State control of media content has not only challenged freedom of expression, but also weakened the foundations of South Korean democracy. This context of repression and manipulation led to a considerable fall in the country’s press freedom index, preceding a slight improvement under the presidency of Moon Jae-in (문재인), which testified to a desire to restore fundamental democratic principles.
Sources
- The Assessment of Bureaucratic Corruption Control in South Korea:The Importance of Political Willin Government’s Anti-Corruption Efforts, KIM Sung-hwan, 2008
- Korean Trust in the Media Remains Low, Despite Recent Victories for Press Freedom ; KEI, Jenna Gibson, 2018
- Freedom of the Press 2016 – South Korea, Freedom House, 2016
- Asia-Pacific Media Unions Demand Resolution of Korea Press Freedom Crisis, International Federation of Journalists, 2010
- Free expression’s erosion, Korea Joongang daily, 2015
- Rights Group Puts Korea on Internet Watchlist, The Korea Times, 2010
- S. Koreas press freedom ranking falls, The Korea Times, 2011
- Surveillance scandal emerges as key campaign issue, The Korea Times, 2012
Addenda
- National Security Law (국가보안법, Gukga Boanbeop): enacted in 1948, this law aims to criminalize activities considered to threaten state security, particularly those related to North Korea. It is frequently criticized for its misuse and impact on freedom of expression. ↩︎
- Criminal prohibition of defamation: in South Korea, defamation can be punished under criminal law, even when based on proven facts. This legislation, rare in liberal democracies, encourages self-censorship among journalists and citizens. ↩︎
Leave a Reply