President to Become Civil Activist After Retirement
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Roh Moo-hyun has vowed to become a civil activist after his retirement next February.
In his congratulatory message to the World Citizen Journalists Forum held at the Seoul Press Center on Thursday, he said the strongest power upgrading the quality of the media is participation by citizens.
Calling for active generation of citizen reporters nationwide and worldwide, Roh said, `` After finishing my tenure I will also actively participate in civil movements focused on achieving the society in which the public holds sovereignty.''
Roh, who is projected to close most of the pressrooms at government offices, expressed his long-standing dissatisfaction about news reports and requested citizen reporters to tackle the media.
He said, ``More citizens should be engaged in production and distribution of articles,'' adding it is necessary for them to prevent the Korean media from enjoying political power.
He claimed that the incumbent administration has secured a healthy, tensional relationship with the media. ``In particular, the public can easily access the government via the online Cheong Wa Dae Briefing.''
Since his inauguration in early 2003, Roh has continued to criticize several conservative newspapers that carried negative reports of him. Now, the President has uneasy sentiment over most newspapers including progressive ones, according to his remarks.
He frequently said the media is one of the few sectors that should undergo reform as soon as possible.
While Roh said he is willing to become a civil activist, his administration has not been generous to civil demonstrators or consumer advocates over the past four years.
The Roh administration has been stern against protestors, such as farmers and laborers opposing a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the United States, and often designated their street demonstrations as illegal practices.
Roh also neglected warnings from scholars and advocates about the risks of mad cow disease from U.S. beef, promising a full reopening of the market to the U.S. during his telephone talks with George W. Bush.