By Lee Kyung-min
The new Seoul bureau chief of Japan’s Sankei Shimbun has not been issued a press card from the Korean Culture and Information Service (KCIS) for foreign correspondents, officials said Wednesday.
Kinya Fujimoto applied for the card six months ago after arriving in Seoul in September to succeed Tatsuya Kato, who quit following a controversy over his report on the whereabouts of President Park Geun-hye during the sinking of the ferry Sewol in April last year.
Usually, press cards are issued a few weeks after requests are made. However, Fujimoto has still not yet received his card, officials said, sparking speculation that the KCIS, which is under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, was pressured by Cheong Wa Dae to delay the issuance.
The conservative newspaper has been at odds with the Korean government over the report. Kato is now on trial here on charges of defaming President Park after reporting rumors about an alleged tryst with a man when the ferry sank. Kato is currently banned from leaving the country.
Without such a press card, foreign journalists are restricted from access to government buildings, including Cheong Wa Dae.
A KCIS official said a card for Fujimoto will be issued soon.
However, he refused to give a direct answer, when asked about the reason as to the delay of such issuance.
“Every year, we gather information about new correspondents and give them the cards at once. He may receive the card within this month,” he said on condition of anonymity.
When asked if the delay was due to any influence from the Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said no.
“Other than issuing the card, journalists are subject to standard identification confirmation process,” Lee said.
However, such reactions were met with skepticism from journalists.
“Everybody knows that since the Kato’s defamation suit, the government is uncomfortable with Sankei,” a foreign reporter said on condition of anonymity.
“Issuing the pass means more than it looks. It means granting access to a journalist with specific purpose of writing a story. Indeed, many security guards ask for it for identification,” said the reporter.