By Lee Ji-hye
The indictment of a Japanese journalist accused of defaming President Park Geun-hye is raising important questions about press freedom in Korea, a veteran reporter says on the latest episode of the Asia News Weekly (ANW) on Korea Times podcast.
“The point is the overall principle of press freedom,” Andrew Salmon, a longtime correspondent and Korea Times columnist said.
Salmon and ANW host Steve Miller discuss the situation surrounding Tatsuya Kato, the former head of the Seoul bureau of the conservative Sankei Shimbun. In particular, they focus on Korea’s defamation law and how it affects journalism here.
"A reporter can actually report something which may well be in the public's interest, and it may actually be true, but still be successfully sued for defamation," Salmon notes, calling the situation “troubling.”
Kato published an article online questioning the whereabouts of President Park on April 16, the day the Sewol ferry sank, killing more than 300 people.
The article, which cited rumors in the stock brokerage industry and in an influential Korean newspaper, alleged that Park was not at Cheong Wa Dae during a seven-hour period on that day. The possibility was raised that Park had been secretly meeting with a recently-divorced former aide.