Korea Press Foundation, Previously Advocating Cautious Approach, Changes Stance
Lee Gae-ho "Government Ad Agency Could Be Exploited to Control Media"
The Korea Press Foundation has been criticized for potentially using its position as the government's advertising agency to control the media.
Sponsor=Korea Press Foundation
According to materials from the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee disclosed on the 17th by Lee Gae-ho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, the Press Foundation has been operating a fake news reporting and consultation center since May without even establishing a clear definition of fake news. There is a significant risk of arbitrary standards being applied, raising serious concerns about adverse effects.
The Press Foundation was fully aware of the risks. In a research report published in 2017, it stated, "In a situation where a clear definition and scope of fake news have not been established, applying legal standards could lead to controversy and unintended side effects." It also emphasized that "once the government intervenes, it could be perceived as censorship of online and offline content, so a cautious approach is necessary."
Rep. Lee pointed out, "Contrary to the report's content, the Foundation is leveraging its exclusive position managing government advertising worth 1.2 trillion won to align with the government and ruling party's policy to eradicate fake news." A representative example is the '2023 First Half Top 10 Fake News Awards and Forum' hosted by the conservative group Freedom of the Press Citizens' Union in August. The event, supported with a budget of 30 million won from the Press Foundation, selected mainly government-critical articles as the top 10 fake news, including 'If Biden Flies Away,' 'Controversy over Japan's Fukushima Contaminated Water Discharge,' and 'Allegations of Admission Corruption Involving Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon's Children.'
Rep. Lee stated, "It is suspicious that the Press Foundation, which called for clear criteria for selecting fake news during the Moon Jae-in administration, has recently aligned with the fake news eradication policies favored by the Yoon Seok-yeol government and the ruling party by operating the fake news reporting center." He added, "Criticism of the government's flawed policies should not be labeled as fake news, nor should the monopoly on government advertising be used as a weapon to line up the media."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
