a Gag upon the Press Will Be Next after the Arrest

The emergency committee for the freedom of the press of Grand National Party (chairman –Park Kwan-Young) issued a statement on the 14th. ``Government Authority does not mind a gag upon the press including arrest of specific targets such as grand stockholders of specific major press.``

The committee insisted, ``Government already imposed a great amount of tax on the media companies that hinders a normal operation of the company. And now they are arresting the heads or stockholders of major media companies. Government is following the order of `press document` that goes 1) arrest of the heads of the media companies 2) liquidation of the critical press 3) limitation of the stock portion. Government seems to continue to manipulate the public opinion and to suppress the press.``

Kwan Chul-Hyun spokesman also issued a statement: ``Arresting the grand stockholders of media companies in the process of investigation has no other precedent in the developed country. The punishment should be considered with great care, referring the public opinion, honor of media companies, and its effect to the society.``

He said, `` if government imprisons the grand stockholders before the official verdict despite the fact that there is no danger for the defendants to escape to other country and to destroy the evidence, it is a violation of the constitution. It can bring an atmosphere that condemns the press as a whole and invade the freedom of the press.``

Kim Jeong-Hun jnghn@donga.com