CNN, the U.S.-based cable news network, may soon shut down its Seoul bureau or scale down its operation as part of restructuring efforts, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday, quoting an industry source.
"CNN has been considering the closure of its Seoul office and the final decision is expected to be made later this month," the source was quoted as saying.
The 24-hour news channel, with about 30 offices around the world, was hit hard by the latest global economic crisis and has been studying ways to cut costs.
CNN's Seoul bureau chief, Sohn Jie-ae, will quit her job in the coming weeks. She has been named spokesperson for foreign media at South Korea's organizing committee for the G-20 economic summit to be held in Seoul in November.
CNN opened its office in Seoul in 1995 and Sohn has since served as its head.
The source said that if CNN closes its bureau in Seoul, its correspondents in Beijing or Tokyo will likely cover South and North Korean news.
"Even if it decides to do so, a small number of camera crew will continue to be stationed here to cover breaking news or (CNN will) hire a part-time correspondent," the source said. "It would be hard for CNN to withdraw all of its staff from South Korea, given its economic size and uncertainties in the North Korean nuclear crisis and the reported power transfer from its leader Kim Jong-il."
Sohn was guarded about the future of her office. "For now, it is difficult to say what will happen. The decision is up to the headquarters in the U.S.," she was quoted as saying over phone.