Associated Press plans expansion in Pyongyang

The Associated Press and the North Korean state news agency have signed a series of agreements, including one for the opening of a comprehensive AP news bureau in Pyongyang, the organizations announced Wednesday.

A memorandum of understanding agreed upon by the AP and the Korean Central News Agency would expand AP’s presence in North Korea to a level unmatched by other Western news organizations. It would build on the AP’s existing video news bureau, which opened in Pyongyang in 2006, by allowing AP text and photo journalists to work in North Korea as well.

With the signing, the agencies agreed to begin work immediately on detailed planning needed to set up and operate the new bureau. It would be the first permanent text and photo bureau operated by a Western news organization in the North Korean capital.

In addition, the agencies signed a contract designating AP as the exclusive international distributor of contemporary and historic video from KCNA’s archive. The agencies also plan a joint photo exhibition in New York next year. They already had an agreement between them to distribute KCNA photo archives to the global market, signed earlier this year.

“AP is once again being trusted to open a door to better understanding between a nation and the world,” said AP President and CEO Tom Curley. “We look forward to providing coverage for AP’s global audience.”

Kim Pyong-ho, president of KCNA, said after a signing ceremony Tuesday: “I hope this agreement contributes not only to the strengthening of relations between our two news agencies but also to the better understanding between the peoples of our two countries and the improvement of DPRK-U.S. relations.” Five years ago, AP Television News, headquartered in London, became the first Western news organization to establish an office in North Korea.

AP

한글 관련 기사 [중앙일보]

AP통신, 서방 언론 첫 평양지국 연다

“취재·사진 기자 독립적으로 활동”
조선중앙통신 김병호 사장과 MOU

미국 AP(Associated Press)통신이 평양에 취재·사진을 모두 총괄하는 종합지국을 개설한다. AP통신 토머스 컬리 사장은 지난달 29일(현지시간) “미국 뉴욕을 방문 중인 조선중앙통신 김병호(사진) 사장과 평양 종합지국 개설을 포함한 두 가지 양해각서(MOU)를 체결했다”고 밝혔다. AP통신 평양 종합지국은 북한 수도에 상설 운영되는 서방의 첫 취재·사진 지국이 된다. AP통신은 2006년 평양에 비디오뉴스 지국을 개설한 바 있는데 이번에 이를 취재·사진으로까지 확대한 것이다.

AP통신 캐트린 캐럴 주필은 “앞으로 평양 종합지국의 취재·사진 기자는 세계 어느 현장에서와 마찬가지로 독립적으로 활동하게 될 것”이라며 “아직까지 북한 당국의 검열을 받은 적은 없다”고 설명했다. AP통신은 지난해 서울 지국장과 아시아 사진국장을 북한에 보내 각종 행사를 보도하도록 한 바 있다. 지난 4월엔 서방 언론으로 처음으로 북한 당국의 언론 콘퍼런스에 참석하기도 했다. 양사는 아울러 내년에 뉴욕에서 공동으로 보도사진전을 열기로 합의했다.