Now, I am no expert on the subject but it seems that for years the newspapers have been either "in bed" with the administration (of the time) or in direct and often violent opposition to it.
The Joongan Ilbo is just one of those papers. Although I have not been in Korea for all that long, in the short time that I have been here I have noticed something interesting. A few years back when Noh Moo Hyun was elected, most of the major papers (joongan included) tore into the guy. They arely gave him a moments peace. Then about a year ago the administration decided to "curb the monopoly" on news and threatened to break up certain newspapers (funny how they all seemed to be the ones opposed to Noh).
Anyways, soon after that the editor for the Joongan Ilbo was appointed as the Ambassador to the US (!!??). With little/no prior diplomatic experience he was given the crucial post of securing a 50 year alliance. Soon there after I noticed the 중앙일포 was decidedly less aggressive towards Noh. Funny how all that worked out.
However, apparently there were some tapes of then JoongAng Ilbo President Hong Seok-hyun and aides of (then president) Kim Dae-jung secretly doing... stuff! The tapes have yet to be released to the public but already they have caused quite the stir.
The other day I noticed the 중앙일포 printed an apology that was ... Interesting.
In view of the gravity of the case, the JoongAng Ilbo offers its deepest
apologies to the people...
After being appointed Ambassador to the United States in February, Mr. Hong resigned as leader of the
JoongAng Ilbo...
The JoongAng Ilbo endured great suffering in connection
with the 1997 presidential election. The Kim Dae-jung administration pressured
the JoongAng Ilbo after its victory, and Mr. Hong was detained on charges of tax
evasion in 1999. The so-called "Bokwang tax evasion scandal" was actually a
result of the Kim administration's displeasure with the Joong-Ang Ilbo for
supporting Mr. Kim's opponent. At the time, Mr. Hong himself offered a public
apology. He served his jail term...
Learning from its mistakes, the JoongAng Ilbo matured. It learned there would be no way for it to be a right-minded member of the press without ending inappropriate relations with the political circle.
Interesting history, but do they even read what they write? Seriously, how does "distancing yourself from politics" and "becoming the US ambassador" belong in the same statement?
Well it seems that today the dung finally hit the fan , or at least someone decided that it smelt enough to get out.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Man-soo said Tuesday that Korean
Ambassador to the United States Hong Seok-hyun had submitted his resignation to
President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday night, and President Roh had decided to accept
it. Accordingly, Hong will leave his ambassadorship just five months after he
was officially appointed on February 15.
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