[The Editors' Verdict] A Country That 'Donzzul's the Press Fighting Fake News

‘Donzzul’ is a compound word of ‘don’ (money) and ‘honjjulnaeda’ (to reprimand), and it is an online neologism. It is mainly used when social rewards and support are given for someone's good deeds. The United States, which I visited last month, was a place that ‘donzzul’ed journalists fighting fake news. ‘PolitiFact,’ headquartered in Washington D.C., is a fact-checking media outlet that has even won a Pulitzer Prize. The emphasis on specializing in fact-checking and its role is due to the growing influence of fake news. Readers who appreciate its importance support and donate to this outlet. Last year alone, donations reached $660,000 (approximately 856 million KRW).

At the same time, in Korea, the government and ruling party were continuously reprimanding fake news. The call to eradicate fake news echoed through the National Assembly audit sessions. The Korea Communications Commission decided to establish a comprehensive plan to eradicate fake news within the year. No one would disagree with the harmful effects of fake news. The problem is that the ‘war on fake news’ is actually close to an impossible goal. Fake news is not a peculiar problem created by today’s digital technological environment. Marie Antoinette’s statement, ‘Let them eat cake,’ was a representative fake news of the 18th century, and the first catalyst that brought down the Berlin Wall was also a false report.

In the media academia, the term ‘fake news’ is not used. This is not only because of the term’s ambiguity but also because the term ‘fake + news’ itself is seen as close to political propaganda. If the information is disguised as fake, it is basically not news, yet being collectively called ‘fake news’ undermines the credibility of the press. Arthur Sulzberger, chairman and publisher of The New York Times (NYT), said during his visit to Korea last month, “The term ‘fake news’ has been systematically weaponized by politicians.” In that sense, the slogan ‘war on fake news’ itself has a provocative nature as an attack on the press. This is certainly not what the government and ruling party desire.

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration speech last May left a deep impression in many ways. If the entire 3,303-character speech were to be summed up in just two words, it would be ‘freedom.’ He mentioned freedom 35 times and pointed to anti-intellectualism as the cause of the crisis in democracy. The cry for freedom continued in Washington D.C., the ‘capital of freedom.’ In April, President Yoon said in a joint session of the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C., “We will serve as a compass to protect and expand the freedom of global citizens together with the United States.” The core keyword of the 43-minute English speech was again ‘freedom.’

It is difficult to expect a scene where Korean media and fact-checkers immediately receive an outpouring of support and donations. The crisis of domestic media largely stems from the media companies themselves. It is necessary to strengthen fact-checking functions and serve as a compass in the era of misinformation and disinformation. However, the government must also act as a catalyst in creating such an environment. There are many reasons why the U.S. can be called the ‘land of freedom,’ but one cannot overlook the democratic spirit that encourages and ‘donzzul’es those fighting false information. When you hold a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It is time to put down the hammer and calmly read the past speeches that embody the value of freedom.

Issue Team 2 Leader