Roh Criticizes Reporters after 44 Days

On Friday, President Roh Moo-hyun opened his mouth for the first time in 44 days on pending issues since he expressed his opinions on amending the constitution on July 17 on Cheong Wa Dae`s Internet news bulletin, the “Cheong Wa Dae Briefing.”

The theme of his speech was the media, and the tone of his argument was extremely harsh. Although the speech was delivered at the 20th anniversary of the Broadcasting Producer Association of Korea, an occasion where words of blessing should be spoken, reporters, whose occupational classification differs from producers, came under fierce criticism.

The people, who had kept silent over numerous recent issues, wanted to hear what President Roh had to say.

Externally, the Afghanistan hostage crisis, which dragged on for more than 40 days, was a significant issue. Although all of the remaining hostages have been released after many twists and turns, the Korean government faces a barrage of criticism from international society for its clumsy diplomatic maneuvers.

Due to the delay of the inter-Korean summit, President Roh cancelled summit talks with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush in Washington, failing to keep his words that he would focus on diplomacy until the end of his tenure. Many political experts point out that an abnormal atmosphere has been created in the Korea-U.S. alliance. Moreover, it has become virtually impossible for him to deliver a planned speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Although Jeong Yoon-jae, a former presidential protocol secretary who has been a close aide of President Roh for more than 20 years, was involved in the tax probe intervention scandal, dealing a critical blow to the moral integrity of the Roh administration, Roh has not said a word of apology.

Moreover, Cheong Wa Dae’s public information department has been making all-out efforts to protect Byeon Yang-gyun, chief presidential secretary for national policy who has been suspected of placing outside pressure with regard to the Shin Jeong-ah scandal. Suspicions now are growing stronger.

“How can the media have a great cause? My remarks were complicated but, reporters cannot write complicated stories. Reporter cannot write stories involving a cause-and-effect relationship. Producers are the right people to convey such long stories,” President Roh stated at the celebration. Simply put, he clearly expressed that reporters are foes and producers are friends.

“How can I reprimand (the press policy related staff) when there are no grounds to reprimand,” Roh said in a meeting with his aides prior to attending the event.

Experts believe that Roh’s remarks were aimed at the demands made on Thursday by chief news editors of newspaper companies, broadcasters and news agencies nationwide that the government withdraw the so-called “Advanced Media Support System” and punish those responsible for drawing up the measure.

jin0619@donga.com