World's window on Korea

By Andrew Salmon

In November, a local teacher, Lee Eung-tae, took exception to my column "School of Stupidity" and penned a critical response, "Too biased opinion." In his riposte, he barely took aim at the central issue I had addressed, choosing instead to fire a broader barrage at educational change.

And that is fine: Media provides a platform for free exchange of ideas, and extrapolations thereof.

However, he did raise my eyebrow with his concluding sentence. "Most Korean ‘targets' will have to endure unfair criticism because it is near impossible for them to defend themselves in English," he wrote.

Now, I do not believe my columns are "unfair" ― "provocative" perhaps ― but reasoned and judicious. That, of course, is my opinion. Lee is equally entitled to his.

More importantly, I think he errs about the near impossibility of Koreans being unable to respond effectively in English.

Certainly, problems exist within Korea's "teach-to-the-test" English education. Even so: The booming private education sector takes up much slack, providing communicative, functional English classes. Moreover, every year, tens of thousands of Koreans study abroad.

This makes 21st century Korea home to a significant population of able English users, capable of expressing sophisticated concepts and thoughts in the tongue.

However, I agree with Lee that a problem exists on the pages of this newspaper.

The Korea Times, like the other English-language dailies in Korea, is not considered influential by locals. Generally, Korea's elite do not subscribe to or contribute their thoughts to this newspaper or to its competitors; they prefer the opinion-leading vernacular media.

A preference for vernacular media over foreign language media is perfectly natural. So why is it problematic?

Korea's English language press is in a state of flux. I question whether the changes have been consciously noted by the professionals working in the sector ― or by Korea's broader elite.

Previously, Korea's English-language newspapers targeted Korean readers, who used them as English-learning aids. And the papers, by running internationally syndicated articles alongside local news, provided a "window on the world" for globally minded Koreans.

This was appropriate in the 1950s, '60s, '70s and '80s. In the early 1990s, a globalizing Korea found itself with a rising expatriate population whose go-to media were Korean English-language newspapers. The readership began to mutate.

Then ― boom! ― the Internet arrived. Suddenly, Korean news became globally available online; indeed, this paper's articles are highly visible on such international media aggregators as Google News. A potentially vast new international readership now had eyes on it.

Simultaneously, Koreans no longer needed Korean English language dailies as their "window on the world." Instead, PC screens became their windows, as they clicked online and surfed global media.

So what should this newspaper do? I respectfully suggest it cease being an English-language mirror of vernacular media. Rather, it should aim to be "the world's window on Korea." This, after all, is a core competency: It boasts a bigger local staff than the Seoul offices of global media outlets.

In the international space, the most relevant Korean issues are: North Korea, South Korean blue chips, high-technology trends and the "Korean wave." In-depth, hard-hitting, "behind-the-news" stories on these issues would provide more interest for international (and local) readers than English rewrites of local newswire articles covering domestic politics, macroeconomics and corporate announcements.

Moreover, Korea has a vastly different culture and history, and somewhat differing outlooks and institutions, than Anglosphere nations. For foreign readers to comprehend Korean developments, context is critical.

Foreign columnists provide this context for foreign readers. We also offer Koreans foreign perspectives. If our columns are occasionally unpalatable to locals, I urge them to put pen to paper (as did Lee).

Herein lies the problem. It is not that Koreans are unable to do this; it is that Koreans do not, generally, recognize the importance of this outlet.

This nation is increasingly interfaced with global politics, diplomacy, economics, technologies and trends. Korea's high and mighty must realize that it is not via vernacular media, but via this newspaper (and its competitors) that global audiences can be reached. This should be a key message for The Korea Times marketers and executives.

Likewise, staffers need to create content for international eyes, as well as for their customary local readership. This means producing, not a vernacular copycat, but a differentiated, lively, critical and in-depth newspaper that does not fear controversy.

Nor should it prioritize promotional content portraying only the nation's bright side. (A certain English-language TV station here has taken that road for too long.) Educated readers do not want blatant PR ― they seek and respect informed journalism. In turn, they will respect countries that breed such media.

For all these reasons, the more disputes and contrary opinions that appear on these pages, the better. And for that, I salute my critic Lee.

Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk.