Kim Hwae-seung, a former editorial writer for Han Kyoreh, was appointed as the head of the Blue House Press Office on August 20, raising concerns about the direct transition of a current journalist into a political role. Critics have expressed worries about the independence and fairness of the media, given that Kim had recently written editorials criticizing the government and political powers without any grace period before taking on a senior position to assist the president.
On August 21, the Han Kyoreh Newspaper Union issued a statement expressing regret over Kim's appointment, stating it undermines readers' trust in the independence and fairness of Han Kyoreh's reporting.
Notably, Kim continued to write editorials until just eight days before the announcement of his appointment. Considering the Blue House's personnel verification procedures, there was effectively no grace period between his role as a critical editorial writer and his new position in a power institution.
The Han Kyoreh Newspaper Union highlighted the differences in roles between an editorial writer and the head of the Press Office. An editorial writer critiques the policies and actions of the president, government, and political entities, while the Press Office head supports the reporting activities of journalists covering the presidential office and oversees media communication.
This raises concerns that a person who has criticized the government may now be responsible for managing its media responses, potentially casting doubt on the independence of past editorials and judgments. There are also concerns that this situation could create pressure on Han Kyoreh journalists tasked with covering and critiquing the government.
Han Kyoreh's reporting guidelines stipulate that the media must be 'independent from any power' and warn against actions that could compromise this independence or provide grounds for government intervention.
The union also referenced past instances where Han Kyoreh criticized the appointment of current journalists to the Blue House. In a 2015 editorial, Han Kyoreh condemned the movement of journalists to the Blue House without a minimum 'buffer period.'
The union stated, 'At that time, the targets of criticism were journalists who moved directly to the Blue House under the Park Geun-hye administration. The change in government does not mean that the standards of journalistic ethics can change.' They emphasized that the principles Han Kyoreh has demanded from other journalists and powers should equally apply to its own former journalists and the current administration.
Criticism was also directed at the Blue House's personnel practices. The Han Kyoreh Newspaper Union pointed out that bringing in current journalists as key aides without a sufficient grace period could weaken the necessary tension and distance between the media and power.
They called on the company to establish specific ethical standards to prevent current journalists from moving directly into political power. This includes requiring prior notification of public office offers or support, exclusion from related reporting and commentary duties, and instituting a sufficient grace period.
The Han Kyoreh Newspaper Union stated, 'The independence of the media is maintained not only by being free from power but also by being vigilant against actions that could raise doubts about that independence. The trust of readers that Han Kyoreh will maintain distance from any power and fulfill its responsibility for oversight and criticism is our most important asset.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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