Reporteurs sans Frontieres (Reporters without Borders) said in its 2002 World Press Report the South Korean government's investigation into tax evasion by the media and the indictment of the owners of the Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo and Kookmin Ilbo raised questions on its intentions regarding a critical press. RSF is a press watchdog on 150 nations and released the report in time for the 12th World Press Freedom Day on May 3.
The RSF, headquartered in Pairs pointed out, that President Kim Dae-jung armed with the Nobel Peace Prize suggested press reform in January 2001, however, the project looked like an attempt to demolish giant media groups rather than to improve press law.
It continued that more than 400 tax officials were put together to investigate account books of some 20 public and private press groups over the past five years, but gradually they started to concentrate on nedia critical of Kim's administration.
The RSF noted that the weekly Sisa Journal had reported that government comments on some of the conservative dailies including the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and Donga Ilbo have reached dangerous levels. The RSF also commented on the suicide of the wife of Donga Ilbo's honorary chairman Kim Byung-kwan as well as the indictments, court hearings, bail, and releases of the Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo and Kookmin Ilbo owners.
(From Paris, Park Hae-hyeon, hhpark@chosun.com)
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