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Staff Reporter
A lawmaker submitted a bill to the National Assembly, Wednesday, to promote English newspapers published here.
The bill calls for allocating up to 10 percent of the Newspaper Promotion Fund to the local English newspapers.
"I have long prepared the bill as part of efforts to counter the decline of the newspaper industry, which is facing a crisis in the rapidly changing media environment," Rep. Jun Byung-hun of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) told The Korea Times.
Jun, the DP's strategic planning chief, noted that the measure reflects the growing importance of local English newspapers.
The total money in the fund stood at 25.3 billion ($21.8 million) in 2008, down from 38.4 billion in the previous year.
"Local English newspapers play an important and critical role beyond helping Koreans improve English skills," the two-term legislator said.
"It's a window to Korea and an excellent means of introducing the country to the world in the global language."
Jun said he hoped the bill would help English newspapers maintain talented reporters with journalistic integrity.
"Only when English papers deliver the truth to their readers, will they be able to maintain their competitiveness," he said.
Jun said fair and truthful reports that transparently depict Korean society will not only help them gain trust from readers, but also help Korea improve its national image.
He also expressed the hope that the bill would help local English newspapers equip themselves with global competiveness.
"Korean English newspapers can provide excellent news sources to the world. I hope Korean English newspaper articles will produce more persuasive and insightful reports about Korean society than those of Western countries," Jun said.
He also proposed a set of bills that would help revive the declining newspaper industry.
Under the plans, tax incentives will be given to individuals for newspaper subscriptions of up to 500,000 won per year.
Loans will be provided at an annual interest rate of 1.5 percent to newspaper companies without the requirement of collateral.
A separate fund will also be set aside to encourage teenagers and low-income earners to read newspapers.
Similar direct subsidies are available in advanced European countries, such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and France, according to Jun.
"The crisis in the newspaper industry is a serious issue," he said. "It puts the people's right to know, diversity of public opinion and democracy in peril."
leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
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