The Korean Editors Association issued a statement, Monday, following the discovery of media control documents at the home of Lee Su-dong, the former permanent director of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region, calling for an investigation into the matter. KEA asked for the special prosecutors team to investigate Lee, adding if it was beyond their remit, the state prosecution should take over.
The association said it was not difficult to conclude the documents were linked to government attempts to suppress the media last year, despite domestic and international protests, as Lee had intervened in all areas of the Kim Dae-jung government.
The KEA, which represents both print and broadcasting editors, continued there must have been numerous illegal and unjustifiable acts during the National Tax Service and Fair Trade Commission investigations because of Lee's involvement. It called for the Ministry of Justice and the courts trying newspaper owners for alleged tax evasion to review the matter in light of recent revelations.
(Jin Seong-ho, shjin@chosun.com)
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