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Thu, July 7, 2022 | 07:42
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Bullying the press
주한미군, 언론에 재갈을 물리려다...
Posted : 2012-04-22 19:07
Updated : 2012-04-22 19:07
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USFK Commander Gen. Thurman
USFK accused of forcing media to report by guidelines

By Lee Tae-hoon

The United States Forces Korea (USFK) is accused of forcing media to report under its guidelines, and when they don’t, denying them access.

In response to the latest such case, the Defense Press Corps, composed of 25 outlets, is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday.

The latest case involves The Korea Times’ report on the April 13 front-page interview article with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John A. Macdonald, titled, “Korea, US closer on missile defense.”

The interview was conducted April 11 amid the brouhaha over North Korea’s rocket launch so the focus was the timing of what the North claimed to be a satellite launch.

Macdonald predicted the launch would be made around noon on April 14 and his forecast was included in the first edition, but was dropped for the second edition in response to a USFK request. The launch took place on April 13.

But the USFK Public Affairs Office (PAO), however, raised the issue with the Times’ defense correspondent over the article, arguing that it should have been a human interest story.

It then didn’t invite the correspondent to an ensuing important media event on April 17, a press conference by Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Korean journalists sought Tuesday’s meeting after finding out that The Korea Times was excluded from attending it after refusing to comply with some requests by the USFK PAO.

An insider from the USFK confirmed that the PAO prohibited The Korea Times from taking part in Admiral Locklear’s press meeting because it was upset at the newspaper for refusing to make major changes in its interview with Macdonald.

“An officer from the USFK PAO admitted that it was his mistake to expect The Korea Times to publish a personal story about Macdonald at a time when the press was eager to hunt information about the North’s imminent launch of a rocket, to which the general had a strong insight,” he said on condition of anonymity.

The tensions between the USFK PAO and the defense press corps have worsened over the past years, especially after Gen. James D. Thurman sworn in as the head of the 28,000-strong U.S. forces in Korea in July last year.

The four-star general has never held a press briefing since his inauguration. He did not even utter a word in front of the Korean press when he visited the Ministry of National Defense on April 13 with U.S. Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim upon the launch of the North’s rocket.

“USFK officials have acted and treated us as if they are occupation forces,” a reporter from a daily newspaper said, calling for strong action such as a layoff of officials responsible for the ban.

“Locklear did not even offer a handshake with us last week. I don’ t think it is a good idea to boycott the USFK’s press events and releases as there are hardly any of them and the office may rather welcome such a move.”

Thurman’s predecessor Commander Gen. Walter Sharp attempted to normalize relations with the press after being criticized for unilaterally refusing to hold a press conference at least four times.

Sharp postponed the meeting with local journalists on Jan. 29, Feb. 23, April 27 and Aug 8 in 2010 without giving any specific reason.

주한미군, 언론에 재갈을 물리려다...
주한미군이 코리아타임스, 국민일보 등 국내 언론사들에게 특정한 방향으로 인터뷰 기사를 써줄 것을 요구했다가 역풍을 맞게 되었다. 지난 4월 11일 있었던 존 맥도날드 연합사 작전참모부장과 인터뷰가 미담성 기사 형식으로 나오지 않았다는 이유로 코리아타임스의 연합사 취재를 일방적으로 거부한 것에 대해 국방부 기자들이 집단 행동을 할 차비를 하고 있기 때문이다. 맥도날드 작전참모부장의 인터뷰는 당시 북한이 로켓에 연료를 주입하기 시작했다는 사실이 파악 된 직후 이루어져서 대화의 많은 부분이 미사일발사에 할애 되었다. 작전참모부장은 이날 북한이 4월 14일 정오에 미사일을 발사할 것으로 전망하기까지 했다. 하지만 연합사는 13일자 1면에 난 맥도날드 소장의 가판을 보고 (Korea. US closer in missile defense) 본지에 연락을 취해 4월 14일 발사예고 내용을 빼 줄 것을 부탁했다. 또한 기사를 미담기사 형식으로 바꾸어 줄 것을 요구했다. 이에 코리아타임스는 발사예고 내용은 가장 흥미로운 내용임에도 불구하고 빼 주었으나 당시 미사일이 가장 큰 현안 이었음을 감안해 미담형식으로 기사를 바꾸지 않았다. 이에 대해 불만을 품은 연합사는 지난 17일 용산 한미연합사에 가진 새뮤얼 라클리어 미 태평양사령관에 기자회견에서 참석이 가능 한 유일한 영자매체였던 코리아타임스를 일방적으로 배제시켰다. 또한 참석 의사를 분명히 표시했음에도 불구하고 기자단에게는 코리아타임스 기자가 바빠서 이날 참석이 불가피하다 통보하기까지 했다. 이에 국방부 기자단은 화요일 회의를 열어 연합사의 부적절한 언론 대응에 대한 제재방안을 모색할 예정이다. 그 동안 연합사의 일방적이고 성의 없는 "마치 점령군인 듯 행동하는" 공보 대응에 대한 불만이 싸여 있어 연합사 취재 보이콧 등 다양한 조치가 논의 될 전망이다.
Emailleeth@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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