단상斷想

To end 100 years of anti-national behavior….

The press plays an important role as one of the core pillars of democracy, checking power and guaranteeing the people's right to know. However, when a particular media company abandons this inherent role and instead fosters social conflict and colludes with vested interests, a fundamental reflection on its very existence is necessary. The Chosun Ilbo is a prime example of such a media company.

The pro-Japanese behavior that began with its founding: The Chosun Ilbo was founded on March 5, 1920. This newspaper, founded by Bang Eung-mo, initially seemed to show aspects of a nationalist paper, but soon revealed its true colors. In the 1930s, under the full-fledged press oppression of the Japanese Empire, the Chosun Ilbo chose the path of submission and cooperation rather than resistance. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the Chosun Ilbo took the lead in advocating "Imperialization." Editorials with titles such as "Let's give our lives for the country" and "Let's strive for the completion of the holy war" decorated the pages every day. Until its closure in 1940 due to pressure from the Japanese Government-General of Korea, the Chosun Ilbo faithfully played the role of a propaganda machine, actively supporting the Japanese imperialist war of aggression and encouraging Koreans to participate in the war. What is fatal is that the Chosun Ilbo did not inevitably cooperate simply to survive, but actively agreed with the policies of the Japanese Empire. The fact that it received a large amount of compensation from the Japanese Government-General at the time of its closure in 1940 proves that their pro-Japanese behavior was not a simple surrender but an active cooperation.

The Chosun Ilbo, which was复刊(republished) in 1946 with the liberation in 1945, began to collude with new powers instead of reflecting on the past. It solidified its pro-American line since the US military government and defended the dictatorship of the Syngman Rhee regime. Even during the April 19 Revolution, the Chosun Ilbo defined the students' legitimate resistance as a 'riot' and defended the Syngman Rhee regime to the end. During the Park Chung-hee regime, the Chosun Ilbo readily complied with media control and took the lead in defending the legitimacy of the military regime. When the Yushin system was launched in 1972, it rationalized the dictatorship, calling it an 'inevitable measure for national development,' and even after Park Chung-hee's assassination in 1979, it glorified the dictator, calling it 'the death of a great leader.' Under the Chun Doo-hwan regime, it showed even more blatant cooperation. In 1980, it consistently reported the Gwangju Democratization Movement as a 'riot' and justified the suppression by the martial law army. Even during the June Struggle in 1987, it denigrated the citizens' demands for democratization as 'creating social unrest' and played the role of the last shield for the authoritarian regime.

Even after democratization, the Chosun Ilbo did not change. Rather, it has become even more blatant in its conservative tendencies, playing a role as a stumbling block to progressive changes in Korean society. During the Kim Dae-jung administration, it attacked the government by mobilizing the "left-wing regime" color argument, and during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, it took the lead in creating a situation of impeachment. Recently, it has shown even more extreme behavior. It tried to downplay or distort the Park Geun-hye administration's state affairs manipulation scandal, and denounced the 2016 candlelight vigil as an "illegal demonstration." It also condoned the destruction of democracy by consistently reporting that obscured the essence of unconstitutional acts such as the declaration of martial law by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

The most fundamental problem with the Chosun Ilbo is that there has been no genuine reflection and apology for its pro-Japanese collaboration. Unlike German media outlets, which thoroughly reflected on their collaboration with the Nazis and established new journalistic ethics, the Chosun Ilbo completely avoided clearing up its past. What is even more serious is that this pro-Japanese tendency has continued even after liberation, advocating pro-American and pro-Japanese foreign policies. Defending Japan's position on the Dokdo issue, giving the Japanese government a free pass on the comfort women issue, and defending the logic of the Japanese right wing on the issue of historical textbook distortion are all on a continuous line without reflection on the past. This is not just a past issue. The Chosun Ilbo's anti-national DNA is ongoing and is the biggest obstacle to establishing a correct historical understanding in Korean society.

The ownership structure of the Chosun, JoongAng, and Dong-A Ilbo newspapers, including the Chosun Ilbo, is extremely opaque. In particular, marital relationships and business partnerships with major chaebol families such as Samsung and LG fundamentally undermine fair journalistic activities. Under this structure, critical reporting on chaebols' illegal activities or social responsibility issues is fundamentally impossible. In fact, the Chosun Ilbo has consistently granted exemptions or reduced coverage of major illegal acts by chaebols, such as the Samsung slush fund case and the LG slush fund case. This is a complete abandonment of the media's power monitoring function and an act of undermining the foundation of democracy.

The fact that the Chosun, JoongAng, and Dong-A Ilbo newspapers occupy more than 70% of the public opinion market is a phenomenon that directly contradicts pluralistic democracy. When they share similar tones and viewpoints, a de facto monopoly of public opinion occurs, which makes healthy democratic debate impossible. In particular, the Chosun Ilbo has abused this monopolistic position to intentionally manipulate public opinion. Biased opinion polls repeated every election season, unfounded speculative reports, and indiscriminate dissemination of unconfirmed information are all anti-democratic acts that hinder fair public opinion formation.

The recent reporting behavior of the Chosun Ilbo has fallen to a level that is embarrassing to even call it the press. Reports without fact-checking, intentional distortion, and sensational titles have already become commonplace. Rumors of celebrity deaths, false information related to COVID-19, and speculative reports related to elections are examples of completely abandoning the basic principles of journalism, such as fact-checking and careful reporting. This kind of low-quality journalism damages individual reputations, creates social confusion, and ultimately undermines public trust in the media as a whole. The Chosun Ilbo is the main culprit in degrading the status of the Korean press. The Chosun Ilbo has been lenient towards conservative regimes and harsh towards progressive regimes, applying double standards. This is an act that fundamentally undermines the fairness and neutrality of the press. In particular, even in crisis situations of constitutional order such as the recent state of emergency, the appearance of developing a both-sides-are-wrong argument that obscures the essence or representing the views of the far-right forces completely abandons the public responsibility of the press. The press has a duty to promptly correct and apologize for incorrect reports. However, the Chosun Ilbo has been passive in dealing with this or has ignored it altogether. Although they recently created a ‘We Correct’ corner, it is only for the sake of avoiding responsibility and no sincerity can be found.

The closure of the Chosun Ilbo is no longer a choice, but a necessity. The problems of the Chosun Ilbo are not individual or temporary. Its anti-national behavior, collusion with power, and destruction of journalistic ethics, which have continued for over 100 years since its foundation, are already deeply ingrained in the DNA of the Chosun Ilbo. This is a structural contradiction that goes beyond the level that can be resolved through reform. Has the Chosun Ilbo ever shown genuine change? In reality, it has shown an even more far-right and reactionary appearance for over 30 years since democratization. Expecting reform from them is like trying to find fish in a tree.

The very existence of the Chosun Ilbo is a key factor distorting the Korean media ecosystem. Their monopolistic position and anti-democratic behavior are the biggest obstacles to establishing a healthy media culture. Only when the Chosun Ilbo disappears will the foundation be laid for diverse and healthy media to grow. Just as Germany liquidated Nazi collaborationist media and established a new media order, Korea must also liquidate pro-Japanese and pro-dictatorial media and establish a truly democratic media. The closure of the Chosun Ilbo should be the starting point for such media reform. Fortunately, with the advent of the digital age, citizens' media literacy is improving. Alternative media are also growing rapidly, cracking the monopolistic position of existing mainstream media. In this changing environment, outdated media like the Chosun Ilbo will naturally be eliminated. Citizens turning away from the Chosun Ilbo and choosing alternative media, this is the power of democracy. The decline in circulation and influence of the Chosun Ilbo is already a reality.

It's time to put an end to 100 years of anti-national behavior. For over 100 years since its foundation, the Chosun Ilbo has consistently pursued anti-national and anti-democratic behavior. Its pro-Japanese collaboration during the Japanese colonial period, its support for dictatorship during the authoritarian era, and its far-right behavior after democratization are all connected by a single link. This is not an individual mistake, but an essential attribute of the Chosun Ilbo. The mission of the press is to report the truth, check power, and protect the socially vulnerable. However, the Chosun Ilbo has spread lies, flattered power, and defended vested interests. Such media have nothing to contribute to Korean society. The closure of the Chosun Ilbo is not simply the disappearance of one media company. It will be a symbolic event that liquidates the old ways of pro-Japanese and pro-dictatorship and opens an era of true democratic media. For the development of Korean democracy, for the establishment of a healthy media ecosystem, and to leave behind a history that we are not ashamed of to our descendants, the Chosun Ilbo must be closed down.

It can't be delayed any longer. The time has come to put an end to 100 years of anti-national behavior.