Journalists Skeptical Over Revised Media Policy
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The government Friday announced a revised media policy aimed at scrapping controversial clauses in the initial plan to ban journalists from meeting government officials without permission.
The announcement came amid strong opposition from the media and political circles on the new media plan proposed by the Government Information Agency (GIA) in May.
GIA Minister Kim Chang-ho, however, said it will implement a plan to close most government pressrooms and build a few consolidated briefing rooms as scheduled.
The Journalists Association of Korea and other media organizations rejected the revised plan, describing it a ``stopgap measure.''
It called on the government to overhaul the government's plan more drastically and come up with effective measures for information disclosure.
``In an effort to settle a controversy regarding journalists' access to public officials and implement the new media policy as soon as possible, the government has decided to accept opinions from the media, civic and political circles,'' the minister said in a news conference at the Central Government Complex in Seoul.
The original plan had controversial clauses, which journalists called ``poisonous,'' such as ones for monitoring journalists' entrance to pressrooms through electronic identification cards and to punish journalists who they believe break news embargoes.
Kim said such controversial clauses were dropped out.
``The revised plan calls for providing fair opportunities for news coverage to journalists. Public servants are required to support journalists' news coverage in an active manner, and those who do not would be punished,'' Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told reporters. ``I hope the media circle will accept the revised measure.''
The plan will be finally endorsed after consultations with representatives from media organizations, he added.
Media organizations called for concrete measures to guarantee their access to government agencies and scrapping the plan to dismantle government pressrooms.
The government plans to complete construction of a consolidated pressroom at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade during the Chuseok holiday from Sept. 23-26.
The main opposition Grand National Party submitted a resolution last month to the National Assembly calling for the dismissal of Kim Chang-ho. The GNP accused Kim of misappropriating 5.5 billion won ($5.5 million) of the state budget to build new pressrooms and an ``electronic briefing system'' without the consent of the Assembly.
Most presidential hopefuls from the pro-government and opposition parties pledge that they will restore the media pressrooms if elected president.
Most of the press corps covering government ministries have issued joint statements against the plan. The chief news editors of the 46 newspaper companies, broadcasters and news agencies last month issued a joint statement urging President Roh Moo-hyun to scrap his ``anachronistic'' attempt to harm the media environment.