Donga Ilbo Accused GIA Minister

The Donga Ilbo filed a lawsuit on Minister of Government Information Agency Park Joon-Young for defamation to the Seoul District Court yesterday. The Donga Ilbo maintained that, in the parliamentary inspection on 27th by the committee for culture and tourism, Minister Park hinted at the Donga Ilbo as an example that the newspaper company attempted to compromise with the government during the tax investigation on the newspaper companies.

The Donga Ilbo said in a written accusation, ``Minister Park gave the meeting of a certain president of the newspaper company and the Commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS) as an example of the newspaper`s attempt to compromise in the parliamentary inspection. There has been no other reported meeting in the newspaper than the meeting between the then-honorary president Kim Byung-Kwan and the NTS Commissioner Ahn Jeong-Nam on June 9th. Therefore, Minister Park implied the Donga Ilbo in his testimony.``

``However, far from attempting to make a compromise, then-honorary president Kim strongly urged the government to stand on the liberal democratic line.`` maintained the Donga Ilbo. ``Despite honorary president Kim clearly revealed the contents of the meeting on July 16th, Minister Park distorted the fact in order to damage on the honor and credibility of the Donga Ilbo.``

And the Donga Ilbo added, ``Minister Park`s remarks may have harmful impact on the morality of the newspaper by bringing about the wrong conception that the newspaper has attempted at compromising with the government behind the scene, while ignoring its promise to accomplish the newspaper`s natural duty `criticizing the power`. Thus, we filed a suit in order to reveal the truth and to charge the responsibility on the false testimony.``

Shin Suk-Ho kyle@donga.com