• Site Map
  • PDF
  • Subscription
  • Register
  • LogIn
  • Site Map
  • PDF
  • Subscription
  • Register
  • LogIn
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Defense Affairs
  • Labor & environment
  • Investigations
  • Seoul & provinces
  • Diseases & welfare
  • Foreign Communities
  • Easy Korean
  • Embassy News
  • Education
  • Obituaries
  • Photo News
Sat, February 16, 2019 | 12:06
      • North Korea
      • Entertainment
        • Hallyu
        • Music
        • Dramas & TV shows
        • Movies
        • Performances
        • Exhibitions
      • Opinion
        • Editorial
        • Columnists
          • Park Moo-jong
          • Choi Sung-jin
          • Mark Peterson
          • Troy Stangarone
          • Tong Kim
          • Lee Seong-hyon
          • Andrew Salmon
          • John Burton
          • Jason Lim
          • Donald Kirk
          • Kim Ji-myung
          • Michael Breen
          • Hyon O'Brien
          • Younghoy Kim Kimaro
          • Deauwand Myers
          • Bernard Rowan
          • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
          • Stephen Costello
          • Semoon Chang
          • Korean Historical Sense
        • Reporter's Notebook
        • Blogs
        • Guest Column
        • Thoughts of the Times
        • Letter to the Editor
        • Times Forum
        • Cartoon
        • Today in History
      • Economy
        • Policies
        • Finance
        • Photo News
      • Biz & Tech
        • Automotive
        • IT
        • Game
        • Heavy industries
        • Light industries
        • Science
        • Photo News
      • National
        • Politics
        • Foreign Affairs
        • Defense Affairs
        • Labor & environment
        • Investigations
        • Seoul & provinces
        • Diseases & welfare
        • Foreign Communities
        • Easy Korean
        • Embassy News
        • Education
        • Obituaries
        • Photo News
      • Culture
        • Books
        • Hotel & Travel
        • Fashion
        • Food
        • Fortune Telling
        • Religions
        • Korean Traditions
        • Trend
        • Healthcare
      • Sports
        • Football
        • Golf
        • Baseball
        • Other Sports
      • World
        • Asia Pacific
        • Americas
        • Other Regions
        • SCMP
      • Video
        • News
        • Feature
        • On the spot
      • Photos
      • Community
        • Time Forum
        • Market Place
        • Study Plaza
        • Talk Box
      • Learning English
    Politics
    Defector-turned-reporter banned from press event
    Posted : 2018-10-15 16:37
    Updated : 2018-10-15 18:14
    Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, third from right, answers questions from reporters in Seoul, Monday, before departing for the Peace House. The two Koreas held high-level talks at the South's side of the truce village of Panmunjeom. / Yonhap

    By Lee Min-hyung

    The Ministry of Unification banned a North Korean defector-turned-reporter from joining a group of South Korean pool reporters to cover inter-Korean high-level talks, citing the "unique nature" of the circumstances.

    Kim Myeong-sung from the Chosun Ilbo newspaper planned to join pool reporters, but the unification ministry excluded him about an hour before their departure to the meeting place Monday morning. The meeting took place in the Peace House located on the South's side of the truce village of Panmunjeom

    "We made the decision after taking various circumstances into account," Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told reporters, declining to elaborate on the specific reasons behind the decision.

    The ministry, however, stands accused of causing a controversy, as the decision was not made upon the North's request.

    The abrupt decision also raised eyebrows here as the notification was sent only about an hour before the pool reporters' departure for the Peace House.

    Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said, "The North did not take issue with it, but the ministry made a comprehensive judgment on its own."

    Critics argue that the decision apparently reflected the ministry's concerns that Kim's participation in the event could have cast a negative influence on the result of the inter-Korean dialogue.

    The ministry also came under fire for its apparent low-key posture toward the North even before starting their talks.

    The unification minister said he would take full responsibility for the decision, but did not give details of a dialogue with Kim before departing for Panmunjeom.



    mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr More articles by this reporter



     
    • Foreign minister's misplaced modesty
    • [INTERVIEW] Korean visa policies: 'Opaque, erratic'?
    • More snow falls later Friday [PHOTOS]
    • Remains of British Korean War hero to arrive in S. Korea for burial at UN cemetery
    • Forbidden love in North Korea finds a way in Vietnam [VIDEO]
    • Constitutional Court to rule on abortion on April 4
    • Assembly speaker's US visit raises eyebrows
    • Base fare for Seoul taxis to rise to W3,800 tomorrow
    • Seoul to propose fine dust reduction treaty to China
    • Pompeo says he expects Trump, Kim to discuss end-of-war declaration
    • English-speaking couple on Korean reality TV riles some viewers
    • iKON's Song Yun-hyeong, Momoland's Daisy divided over dating rumor
    • Rookie boy band Vanner releases debut full-length album
    • Around Town 1
    • NCT 127 to promote Gangnam, tourist attractions
    • Compensate forced labor

    • Fire in hardware store district

    • We're hiring

    • Listing Woori Financial shares

    • Traditional liquor for 1st full moon

    • Special offer on pork belly

    • Celebrating Korea-Czech relations

    • To-be-built dormitory

    The Right to Protest, Freedom of Expression, and Freedom of Association
    • About Korea Times
    • CEO Message
    • Times History
    • Contents Distribution
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
    • Location
    • Privacy Statement
    • Ombudsman
    • Mobile Service
    • PDF Service
    • RSS Service