(WAN/IFEX) – The following is an 11 October 1999 WAN press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 30 September 1999** Paris, 11 October 1999 For immediate release Publisher’s Jailing Raises Press Freedom Concerns in S. Korea The arrest and jailing of South Korean newspaper publisher Hong Seok Hyun continues to raise questions about press freedom in […]
(WAN/IFEX) – The following is an 11 October 1999 WAN press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 30 September 1999**
Paris, 11 October 1999
For immediate release
Publisher’s Jailing Raises Press Freedom Concerns in S. Korea
The arrest and jailing of South Korean newspaper publisher Hong Seok Hyun
continues to raise questions about press freedom in the country, despite the
government’s contention that the newspaper itself is not a target, the World
Association of Newspapers says.
“We persist in thinking that arresting and jailing the publisher of a
newspaper which is known to be critical of the government can only have a
chilling effect on press freedom, particularly given the recent history of
South Korea,” said Timothy Balding, Director General of the Paris-based WAN.
Dr. Hong, the President and Publisher of the JoongAng Ilbo, was arrested and
jailed earlier this month on multiple charges of tax evasion in a case
involving the Bokwang business group, in which he is the largest
shareholder.
WAN and newspaper publishers world-wide who have protested against the
arrest and jailing have received a 23-page government reply, sent on the
instructions of President Kim Dae-jung, which denies the case has anything
to do with the newspaper.
“We are aware of dozens, if not hundreds, of cases around the world, where
governments use economic pressure to silence newspapers,” said Mr. Balding.
“Locking up a publisher in prison before he has been tried, as is the case
with Dr. Hong, is a grave matter that should be handled with the utmost
caution,” he said. “We are not fully convinced that this was the case in
South Korea. This jailing can only hurt the newspaper, and send a warning to
other critical publications, despite the government’s denial that press
freedom is of issue here.”
“International opinion can only continue to have grave doubts about the
government’s commitment to leave the press free and to its ability to
tolerate criticism. Whatever the merits of the case — and this is for the
courts to decide, not the president — the government has proceeded in a
manner which can only create skepticism,” he said.
The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry,
defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 17,000
newspapers; its membership includes 61 national newspaper associations,
individual newspaper executives in 93 countries, 17 news agencies and seven
regional and world-wide press groups. Dr. Hong represents South Korean
newspapers in the WAN Board.
