Roh hits back at IPI over press criticism

The Korean Information Service, the public affairs office of the government, sent a letter yesterday to the International Press Institute, saying criticism from the organization that the Roh administration has been suppressing press freedom is unwarranted.
The international journalists’ organization adopted a resolution Monday assailing President Roh Moo-hyun’s media policy.
In the letter, the information service denounced the IPI’s argument that the government abused its power by intimidating newspapers that criticized it.
The press organization said that the Korean Fair Trade Commission began investigating newspaper firms after an angry speech by Mr. Roh on Aug. 2, but the government’s public affairs office pointed out the trade watchdog had announced its plan to investigate the newspaper market on June 25.