Word: kim
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President Kim Dae Jung treasures his reputation as the pro-democracy hero who risked his life?more than once?to end South Korea's long period of military rule, for which he earned the sobriquet of Asia's Nelson Mandela. Kim took office promising to protect Korea's fledgling democracy and its freedoms, including an unharassed media. In a 1998 address, the newly elected Kim stressed the importance of a vibrant, sharp-tongued press: "A President should not wish to hear only sweet words...
...Maybe he changed his mind. Earlier this year Kim's government launched a tax investigation of 23 newspapers and broadcast companies. The result was announced late last month: according to the government, a whopping $390 million in back taxes and penalties is owed, half from the country's top three dailies?the Chosun Daily, the JoongAng Daily and the Dong-a Daily?which are known for seldom having anything sweet to say about the President...
...parliamentary opposition insists the President is trying to crush media opponents of his controversial "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with North Korea. One common complaint: South Korea pours aid into North Korea and gets little in return. Smaller newspapers, which are less critical of Kim's policies (and less influential), got off lightly in the tax inquiry. The opposition also says Kim wants a kinder, gentler media ahead of next year's presidential election. Kim cannot run again but he'll help pick his party's candidate. The President dismissed the charges last week, calling the tax probe "fair...
...outlets to fire journalists he didn't like. Speaking out against the government in those days could get you arrested or beaten up. Today, censorship and physical intimidation are verboten, but heavy-handed habits die hard. The presidential Blue House still pressures editors to change copy, sometimes successfully. Says Kim Young Bae, who has just finished a stint as editorial page chief at the JoongAng Daily: "Any time we write anything critical of the President or government policy, we get calls, sometimes...
...Opposition legislators see a battle between the President and the media as a prime moment to score political points, especially with the presidential election less than a year-and-a-half away. Former President Kim Young Sam, a longtime and bitter rival of the current President, compared him to Hitler and Stalin and warned that the tax inquiry might be a precursor to a coup d'?tat to keep the President in power. So wild was the general level of anti-Kim rhetoric that lawmaker Lee broke ranks with his own party leaders and urged them to tone down...