By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
January 9 -- An
ongoing press
freedom case
in South Korea
has now echoed
into the US
State Department,
after being
repeatedly
evaded at the
UN in New
York.
UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon was a
long-time
South Korean
diplomat
before taking
up his UN
post. But he
has been
notably quiet
about press
freedom
generally, and
now
strikingly,
with regard to
South Korea.
The
government in
Seoul has
summoned
Sankei
Shimbun's
Tatsuya Kato
on possible
charges of
defaming
President Park
Geun-hye, and
has blocked
him from
leaving South
Korea in the
interim.
On
January 9
Inner City
Press asked
the UN about
another case
in South
Korea, the
expusion of a
Korean
American woman
for espousing
apparently too
pro-North
Korea views.
The UN had no
direct
response other
than vague
support for
freedom of
expression.
Later
on January 9,
State
Department
spokesperson
Jen Psaki was
asked about
both cases.
From the US
transcript:
MS.
PSAKI:
We can confirm
that U.S.
citizen Amy
Chung, also
known as Shin
Eun-mi, was
barred from
exiting South
Korea for the
past three
weeks.
We have seen
the reports
indicating the
prosecution
has asked that
Ms. Chung be
deported and
banned from
South Korea
for five
years.
We take our
obligation to
assist U.S.
citizens
overseas
seriously.
We’re in
contact with
Ms. Chung and
providing all
possible
consular
assistance.
As it relates
to the laws, I
think it’s the
application of
the national
security law
was what was
used
here. I
think broadly
speaking, our
view is that
the Republic
of Korea has
shown a
consistent and
longstanding
commitment to
the promotion
and protection
of human
rights.
In – as it
relates to
law, we’re
concerned that
the national
security law,
as interpreted
and applied in
some cases,
limits freedom
of expression
and restricts
access to the
internet.
QUESTION:
You can
confirm that
she couldn’t
leave for
three weeks --
MS.
PSAKI:
Mm-hmm.
QUESTION:
-- but you
can’t confirm
that she’s
going to be
deported?
Or --
MS.
PSAKI:
We are aware
of reports
that she’s
been deported
for allegedly
violating the
South Korean
national
security
law.
Beyond that, I
don’t have any
more details.
QUESTION:
Okay, and then
just one more
on this.
This comes at
the same time
as a Japanese
reporter who
made some
comments about
President Park
is – remains
on trial and
unable to
leave the
country.
Do you have
any broader
concerns that
this raises
about freedom
of the press
and freedom of
expression in
North Korea –
in South
Korea?
MS.
PSAKI: I
mean, I think
I expressed
that in the
comments I
offered as it
relates to the
law. I
mean, broadly
speaking, we
believe South
Korea has a
strong record
on human
rights and
freedom of
expression,
and we
expressed just
a concern
about the
application of
the particular
law in some
cases.
At
issue is an
article that
Tatsuya Kato
wrote and
Sankei Shimbun
published,
citing the
South Korean
publication
Chosun Ilbo,
that during
the sinking of
the Sewol
ferry in
April,
President Park
was not seen
for seven
hours and may
have been
trysting with
a recently
divorced
former aide.
While
understandably
causing anger,
such a report
should not
trigger travel
bans or
criminal
charges.
It is
particularly
troubling that
while Tatsuya
Kato of
Japan's Sankei
has been
targeted, the
South Korean
publication
Chosun Ilbo
from which he
quoted is not
being
targeted. This
disparate
treatment of
journalists,
based on
nationality or
other factors,
should not be
tolerated.
As a
comparison,
when
Afghanistan
recently
imposed a
similar travel
ban on a New
York Times
reporter, not
only the US
State
Department but
also many
others spoke
out.
But
when at the UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman was
twice -- three
times,
actually --
asked about
South Korea's
treatment of
Sankei
Shimbun's
Tatsuya Kato,
only
platitudes
emerged.
Continuing the
trend on August
31, Ban
Ki-moon's
comment on the
coup in
Lesotho did
not mention
that the
military took
over the
television and
radio stations
there.
The day's
New York Times
recounted how
South Korean
artist Hong
Sung-dam had
his painting
depicting Park
Geun-hye and
his view of
her role in
the sinking of
the Sewol
ferry censored
by authorities
in Gwangju.
Some
including the
new Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
an
anti-censorship
alliance
established at
the UN during
and counter to
Ban Ki-moon's
time in
control, have
noted a trend
toward
ignoring some
attacks on the
media. How far
back does it
go? What will
happen in
South Korea,
and at the UN?
Watch this
site.
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