WAN and IFJ Investigative Teams to Visit Korea

Following a similar move by the International Press Institute (IPI), the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have decided to dispatch a special team of investigators to Korea to probe into the recent indictments involving majority shareholders of Korean news media companies.

WAN president Roger Parkinson, who also serves as chairman of The Globe and Mail of Canada, is scheduled to arrive in Korea on the 4th and will meet up with director Johann Fritz of the International Press Institute, who will arrive in Korea on the 5th. The two are scheduled to visit the Government Information Agency, the Grand National Party, Donga Newspaper Company, and Chosun Ilbo Company to make an in-depth assessment of the recent news industry-related issues in Korea.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) will also dispatch a team of three investigators, including IFJ president Christopher Warren, to look into the state of the Korean press and media industry.

The WAN represents a group of 17,000 newspaper companies, publishers and agencies in 63 countries around the world, and the IFJ is the umbrella organization of 143 journalist groups and agencies in 104 countries.

Lee Seung-Heon ddr@donga.com