Tax Probe Worries U.S. Lawmakers

WASHINGTON － Eight members of the United States Congress sent a letter to President Kim Dae-jung on Monday expressing concern over the South Korean government's tax probe into certain newspaper companies.

Representatives Dana Rohrabacher, R-California, Benjamin Gilman, R-New York, Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey, Roscoe Bartlett, R-Maryland, Adam Putnam, R-Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, Jack Kingston, R-Virginia, and Michael Capuano, D-Massachusetts, signed the letter.

The lawmakers said the investigation could infringe on press freedom in coverage of upcoming elections.

They also said a large-scale investigation into three newspapers in Seoul began only a few weeks after President Kim openly declared a need for media reform and that most of the 400 employees of the National Tax Service deployed in the investigation focused their efforts on the so-called "Big Three" newspapers; JoongAng Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo and Dong-a Ilbo.

The legislators added that they hoped the president will emphasize to government officials that freedom of a nation's press is vital to the freedom of its people.

They also noted that Noh Mu-hyun, former minister of maritime affairs and fisheries, and other ruling party lawmakers were reportedly praised by the president for their remarks calling for a "war with the press."

by Kim Jin