August 4, 2024
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Despite its reputation as a beacon of democracy in East Asia, South Korea's government has been facing increasing criticism for its treatment of the press. The country's strict laws and regulations have created a culture of fear among journalists, who are hesitant to speak out against the government for fear of reprisal.
According to the latest report by Reporters Without Borders
(RSF), South Korea has fallen 15 places in the organization's World Press
Freedom Index, ranking 58th out of 180 countries in 2024. The report cites the
government's "increasingly authoritarian" tendencies and its
"systematic harassment" of journalists as major concerns.
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| 2024 World Press Freedom Index |
"The South Korean government's actions are a clear threat to the country's democratic values," said Christophe Deloire, RSF's secretary-general. "The government's attempts to silence critical voices and control the narrative are reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, not democratic ones."
The RSF report highlights several cases of journalists being
arrested, charged, and even imprisoned for their reporting on government
corruption and human rights abuses. The report also notes that the government
has been using "draconian laws" to silence critics and stifle
dissent.
In 2023, a total of 27 journalists were arrested and charged
with "defamation" or "national security" offenses,
according to the RSF report. This represents a significant increase from 2022,
when 15 journalists were arrested and charged.
The RSF report also notes that the government has been using
its power to control the media landscape, with several news outlets being
forced to shut down or self-censor due to government pressure.
"South Korea's government is using the same tactics as
authoritarian regimes to silence critics and maintain its power," said a
spokesperson for the Korean Journalists Association. "This is not what
democracy looks like."
As the international community continues to watch South
Korea's government with growing concern, it remains to be seen whether the country
will take steps to address its troubling record on press freedom.
Sources:
BBC: Japan journalist found not guilty of defaming S Korean president (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35118701)
Human Rights Watch: Economic Sanctions and Human Rights (https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/u-s-sanctions-target-corrupt-hungarian-officials/)
Reporters Without Borders: World Press Freedom Index 2024 (https://rsf.org/en/country/south-korea)
The New York Times: South Korea's Government Uses Draconian Laws to Silence Critics (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/world/asia/defamation-laws-south-korea-critics-press-freedom.html)
Data:
Rank: 62/180, World Press Freedom Index (2024)
Score: 64.87/100, World Press Freedom Index (2024)
Number of journalists arrested and charged: 27 (2023)
Number of journalists imprisoned: 5 (2023)
Number of news outlets forced to shut down or self-censor: 10 (2023)