[Press Briefing] On the Violation of the Freedom of Expression in South Korea

Date & Time: Thursday, March 14, 2024, 2:30 PM

Venue: Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club, 18F Korea Press Center bldg(124 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul)

Organizer: Coalition for Freedom of Expression in South Korea(“Article 21 Net”)

The Republic of Korea hosts the 3rd Summit for Democracy in Seoul from March 18th to 20th. President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned that “Korea will take the lead in promoting democracy.” It means that South Korea will fulfill its role as a leader in promoting democracy overseas.

However, under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the fundamental freedom of expression is under threat within South Korea. Citizens have frequently been denied assembly permits. Search and seizure on media journalists for defamation of public officials have become routine. Moreover, individuals who dare to criticize the president during his public speeches have been physically gagged and dragged away by the president’s security personnel. Additionally, an online video satirizing the president is blocked by the KCSC, the governmental censorship body. 

The Yoon government must stop violating the freedom of expression and allow critical voices to be heard. The Yoon government would earn the credential to host the Summit for Democracy. Additionally, to prevent this summit from being labeled as the ‘democracy washing’ by global citizens, the government must heed the calls from civil society organizations to ensure freedom of expression. Only then can the ‘democracy for future generations’, the theme for the 3rd Summit for Democracy, be realized.

The civil society organizations and media groups in South Korea build the “Coalition for Freedom of Expression in South Korea (“Article 21 Net”) and will be convening a press briefing to examine the diminishing freedom of expression in South Korea. This event is scheduled for March 14th at 2:30 PM at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Korea Press Center.

Furthermore, Article 21 Net will hold a press conference on March 18th at the venue of the 3rd Summit for Democracy to denounce the Yoon government’s efforts to gloss over democratic shortcomings. 

*Korean English simultaneous translation will be provided during the press briefing(March 14th at 2:30 PM) for the international journalist. Please find the conference program below. 

Moderator: Byoung-il Oh(Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet)

Speakers

1. National Union of Media Workers (Press Freedom Suppression)

2. Post BlackList & Seoul Disability Rights Film Festival (Censorship on arts) 

3. Korean Disability Forum & Activists group for Human Rights BARAM (Freedom of assembly and demonstration)

4. The Center for Freedom of Information & Open Net Korea (Rights to Know and Online freedom of expression)

Coalition for Freedom of Expression in South Korea

Activists group for Human Rights BARAM

Center for media responsibility & human rights

Cultural Action

Disability Discrimination Act of Solidarity in Korea

Human Rights Movement Space ‘Hwal’

Korean Disability Forum

Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet

National Union of Media Workers

Open Net Korea

People’s Coalition for Media Reform

Post BlackList

Seoul Disability Rights Film Festival

Seoul Human Rights Film Festival

Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination

South Korean NGOs Coalition for Law Enforcement Watch

The Center for Freedom of Information

**The Coalition for Freedom of Expression in South Korea(“Article 21 Net”) is a coalition of a total of 16 civil society organizations gathering to advocate for the freedom of assembly and expression, as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution, in response to infringements such as crackdowns on media and journalists, and censorship of artistic and cultural expression.

Korean version text here

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