By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The Ministry of National Defense issued an ultimatum Tuesday for its press corps to leave the existing pressroom by today.
Instead, the ministry asked the reporters to move to a new central pressroom where the ministry has been giving press briefings since Nov. 1. However, most journalists have boycotted the briefings, saying they oppose the government's media policy.
``We can't delay implementation of the government's new media policy any longer. So please move to the new central pressroom,'' a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
The ministry will stop providing services for the press such as Internet lines and press releases unless the journalists move into the new pressroom by 6 p.m. Wednesday.
But the press corps of the ministry again refused the request and demanded the government drop its media policy.
``We demand the government to stop oppressing the press immediately,'' the reporters' group said. ``We will not accept any request from the government.''
The new pressroom and briefing room were built in an annex to a ministry building, which includes reporters' seats and interview booths.
President Roh Moo-hyun has sought what he calls media reform by creating a central pressroom after closing all other government pressrooms. He wants to abolish the press corps system where each ministry or agency runs its own pressroom.
However, journalists, scholars and politicians at home and abroad opposed the media policy. Most presidential candidates promised to restore the pressroom system if elected.
The defense ministry's ultimatum came a day after the National Police Agency in Seoul cut electricity and heating in its pressroom in order to move reporters out of the agency. Journalists work by candlelight at night at the agency's pressroom now.
The agency also warned reporters that it will shut down the pressroom and remove all furniture and other facilities on Friday.
The press corps of the agency made clear that they will not accept the agency's request, saying: ``The planned pressroom shutdown violates the nation's right to know and prevents reporters from monitoring the government.''
In mid-October, pressrooms of the Foreign Affairs and Trade, Education and Human Resources Development, Unification, and Information and Communication ministries were closed.