[Editorial] Path to power, path to press

Ruing camp`s view of press is apprehensive

In view of his position as a cabinet member and his political caliber in the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), Marine Affairs-Fisheries Minister Roh Moo-Hyun`s remarks Tuesday criticizing the news media cannot be overlooked merely as expressing his personal opinion.

Moreover, in light of the ruling MDP`s rather sympathetic reactions to his comment on the media, Minister Roh`s statement might have been construed as reflecting the ruling camp`s undercurrent viewpoint toward the nation`s mass media.

If this is true, it is extremely worrisome. The minister went as far as to assert that the government should declare war on the press. Does it mean that the government and the press are enemies?

It is an inalienable right for the mass media to check and criticize ruling power. And this right is an intrinsic value of democratic press, beyond its role of delivering news or information. If the government treats the mass media as an enemy and declares war on it, in defiance of the roles of mass communications that must maintain an often-adversarial relationship with power, this is tantamount to denying the freedom of the press.

As a matter of fact, the ruling camp has tended to blame the press for the alleged indiscriminate criticism of the government and inflating sense of crises at the time of national emergency. However, it is to be noted that the current crisis should be basically attributed to the fatigue stemming from inconsistent reform drives, a spate of suspicions on corruption and irregularities in the governing echelons, obstacles to national unity arising from discriminatory personnel appointments, the rule of men leading to destroying institutions and systems, and dishonest politics in which words do not match deeds.

If the government is poised to counterattack the media with the unwarranted allegations of reckless criticism and the exaggeration of the facts, there will be little ground for ensuring the freedom of the press and the people`s right to be informed.

With regard to the ongoing tax audits of the media firms following President Kim Dae-Jung`s underlining the reform in the news media sector during his New Year press conference last month, the opposition party denounced the measure as acts of suppressing the freedom of the press and raised suspicions that it must be intended to tame the news media.

Also, the governing camp should pay attention to the rising apprehension that it is attempting to drive its policy with force under the pretext of strong government and powerful ruling party. As Minister Roh said, there won`t be any "unintentional activities" (tax audits).

What`s more, we are seriously concerned over fledgling maneuvers, initiated by certain state-run broadcasting stations with the allegations of distorted news coverage by the newspapers, to falsely impress the general public, as if some newspapers were criminal rings, being engaged in tax evasions and various other irregularities. If and when the ongoing tax probes are politically abused, the people will never tolerate it.

Of course, we have no objections to any kinds of probes either by the National Tax Service (NTS) or by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), if they are conducted in accordance legal procedures. And if any wrongdoing is found through the scrutiny, it must be strictly dealt with according to the related laws.

It is our firm position to undergo any probes either by the NTS or FTC, only if they should be conducted in a fair and just manner and in accordance with the proper legal procedures. Once again, we would like to make a solemn pledge to our readers and the people that we will follow the righteous path of the press, in terms of checking and criticizing the ruling power and telling what is right and wrong.