Media Hit With New Volley

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party continued Monday its criticism of the South Korean media over positions they have taken in a variety of key areas.

Saying they have "set out to mold public opinion on a number of controversial issues," the newest attack is aggravating the Kim Dae-jung government's already strained relations with the press.

The salvo, fired in an article published in the party's biweekly newspaper, "Peace and Advance," was aimed at the J, D and C dailies, almost without doubt a reference to the nation's so-called Big Three dailies, the JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo and Chosun Ilbo.

In the article, the ruling party accuses the papers of, among other things, distorting the facts about government reform programs.

"They have depicted a legal tax audit as an attempt at press control and regulations barring illegal transactions between papers as a violation of the freedom of the press," the article said, referring to a government tax probe into 23 national media companies that has kicked up bitter resentment.

The article accuses the three dailies of being advocates for the nation's business conglomerates and other conservative forces and employing "any means necessary to thwart reform."

Jeon Yong-hak, the ruling party spokesman, and its secretary-general, Park Sang-kyu, attempted to defuse the situation, saying they had no advance knowledge of the article. The party claims in a statement that the article was published to balance the "excessive criticism by the press of government reform programs" by informing its members of the successes of those undertakings.

The opposition Grand National Party said the vehement attack on the mainstream media is a reflection of the ruling party's true position on the press.

by Lee Jung-min