Asia Economy 'Coin Scam Republic - They Were Meticulous' Report Wins This Month's Reporter Award

Korea Journalists Association 407th Economic Reporting Awards: Reporters Lee Seon-ae, Kim Min-young, and 3 Others Honored

On the 22nd, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, the Asia Economy Coin Fraud Planning Article Team took a photo with Park Jong-hyun, President of the Korea Journalists Association, after receiving the award in the economic reporting category at the 'Korea Journalists Association, Life Respect Excellent Reporting Award - Journalist of the Month Award Ceremony.' Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Asia Economy's planned report series "Coin Scam Republic - They Were Meticulous," published over 10 episodes from July 15 to July 19, was selected as the winner of the 407th "Journalist of the Month Award" (Economic Reporting category) by the Korea Journalists Association. Special Investigation Team Leader (Manager) Lee Seon-ae of the Securities Capital Market Department, along with reporters Kim Min-young, Cha Min-young, Kim Dae-hyun, and Hwang Yoon-joo, conducted the first comprehensive investigation in Korea of virtual asset pyramid scheme crime verdicts and surveys. Through close coverage of related crimes (interviews with insiders, securing scam organization sales scripts, reconstructing scam methods, and interviews with victims), they analyzed scam types and reported exclusively. They identified that virtual asset-related crimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and organized day by day, and uncovered the reality of the "lawless zone."

Through the sweat and effort of the special investigation team, they researched and analyzed coin scam types to raise awareness, suppress related crimes, and help prevent investor damages. The team worked to stop coin scam crimes, aiming to shed the stigma of the "Coin Scam Republic" and prevent national losses by reviewing and urging the challenges and future directions of our market. Their planning led to movements to amend the "Door-to-Door Sales Act," which currently does not punish salespeople involved in illegal multi-level marketing activities. Additionally, citing their articles, they pointed out that the National Police Agency has completed investigations using information transferred from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Commission in only 14% of cases over the past five years. This contributed to forming public opinion on the need to strengthen police investigative authority to prevent new tax evasion methods using virtual assets and others.

On the 22nd, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Lim Chun-han, a reporter from the Social Affairs Department of Asia Economy, is taking a photo after receiving the Life Respect Excellence Reporting Award at the "Korea Journalists Association, Life Respect Excellence Reporting Award - Journalist of the Month Award Ceremony." Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Reporter Lim Chun-han of the Social Affairs Department prepared the suicide prevention project series "MZ Mindfulness," which was selected as the winner of the "2024 3rd Quarter Life Respect Excellence Reporting Award" by the Korea Journalists Association. Reporter Lim diagnosed the causes and solutions of suicide among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) over five episodes. He analyzed suicide statistics of people in their 20s and 30s in detail and pointed out the poor performance of university counseling centers. He highlighted issues of increasing harsh treatment and lenient punishments related to military suicides and published exclusive articles reporting the actual number of suicides. Furthermore, Lim personally participated in the life keeper training program "See, Hear, Speak," emphasizing the importance of observing suicide risk signals. Through an interview with Hwang Tae-yeon, Chairman of the Korea Life Respect Hope Foundation, he urged the need to improve social safety nets to prevent youth suicide.