South Korea

(RSF/IFEX) – In a 21 June 2000 letter to the press officer and spokesman of the presidency, Park Joon-Young, RSF expressed concern about the sanctions imposed on journalist Kim Jin-Kook. RSF asked the official to ensure that the journalist could once again cover the activities of the head of state. Robert Ménard, the secretary-general of […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI letter to South Korean President Kim Dae Jung decrying the recent use of libel laws to silence the press: His Excellency Kim Dae-jung President Office of the President Seoul South Korea Vienna, 18 February 2000 Your Excellency, The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is once again raising the case of Hong Suk-hyun and the “Joongang Ilbo”. Accused of tax evasion, Hong is currently in custody awaiting the opening of his trial on 19 November 1999. **Updates IFEX alerts of 12 October and 30 September 1999** IPI is concerned that the case against Hong may be […]

(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 […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI has expressed its great concern about the apparent legal harassment of the “Joongang Ilbo”, one of South Korea’s leading daily newspapers, and its owner, Hong Suk-hyun, by government authorities. **Updates IFEX alert of 30 September 1999** On 29 June 1999, the Korean Office of National Tax Administration (ONTA) targeted for sudden tax […]

(WAN/IFEX) – The following is a WAN press release: Paris, 30 September 1999 For immediate release WAN Condemns Pressure on Korean Newspaper The World Association of Newspapers has asked President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea to cease “punitive” legal actions against the publisher of the JoongAng Ilbo, which has been highly critical of his […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 1 October 1998, RSF protested the sentencing of two Korean journalists. According to RSF, on 23 September, Son Chung-Mu, publisher of the biweekly “Inside the World”, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for “violation of the election code” and “defamation” for having written several articles on the Korean president’s private life during […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 8 July 1998, on 1 June 1998, Son Chung-Mu, publisher of the bi-weekly “Inside the World”, was arrested at his home by agents of the Seoul Public Prosecutor’s office. He was charged with “defamation” against then-presidential candidate Mr Kim Dae Jung during the 1997 campaign, […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 1 June 1998, Son Chung Mu, publisher of “Inside the World” magazine, was arrested on charges of criminal defamation growing out of the presidential campaign of 1997. Son was arrested by agents of the Seoul Public Prosecutor’s office at his home in Seoul, according to family members. Prosecutors have charged Son with […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The Committee to Protect Journalists reports the release of American journalist Richard Choi by the South Korean government on his own recognizance. A Seoul court released Choi, who had been in jail since 19 December 1997, early Thursday morning, Korea time. He must still stand trial on charges arising from a complaint of […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – American journalist Richard Choi, a veteran reporter and the vice-president of Radio Korea, a Korean-language radio station in Los Angeles, was arrested at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul on 19 December 19997 and charged with criminal slander and defamation on the basis of a story he broadcast from Seoul to Los Angeles. The […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – American journalist Richard Choi, a veteran reporter and the vice-president of Radio Korea, a Korean-language radio station in Los Angeles, was arrested at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul on 19 December 19997 and charged with criminal slander and defamation on the basis of a story he broadcast from Seoul to Los Angeles. The […]

(WiPC/IFEX) – International PEN believes that there are a number of writers in prison in South Korea who are guilty of no criminal activity, but have been sentenced merely as a result of their freely-expressed opinions. Although they may have infringed the National Security Law, PEN believes that this law is itself problematic: its vague, […]

Three people are now on trial in Seoul for publishing and editing the newsletter of a youth organization. The prosecutors have recommended that they receive prison terms of up to four years. International PEN considers the charges against them to be in violation of their right to freedom of expression. Hwang Yun-mi (f), a language […]

Source: Videazimut, Montreal On 14 June 1996, Kim Dong-Won (m), a representative for the independent documentary production company Purn Production, and the film and video committee chairman of National Federation for Alternative Culture (NFAC), both based in Seoul, was arrested and charged with violating the Audio and Video Censorship Act. All videotapes and editing equipment […]

Source: Amnesty International Publisher Yu Dok-ryol and editor Kim Chon-hee of the Han Publishing Company were arrested with bookshop owner Shim Bom-sok on 17 July 1995. The three were arrested for publishing and distributing the autobiography of the now deceased president of North Korea, Kim Il Sung. They are charged under Article 7 of the […]