Korean Association of Newspapers condemns terrorist attack against Charlie Hebdo

The Korean Association of Newspapers (Chairman Song Pil-ho) issued on Friday a statement titled "Terror and threatening cannot stop press activities." In the statement, the association declared, “Armed terrorists’ attack on the French satirical weekly ‘Charlie Hebdo’ is unjustifiable and unforgivable anti-humanitarian crime. The association strongly condemns such crime along with the human society.”

“Terror against the media is anti-civilization violence, which aims to threaten the world’s journalists and their reporting activities and to deny ‘freedom of speech.’ There might be disagreement or opposite views against reports and tone of the press, but it must be expressed in a peaceful and reasonable manner,” said the association in the statement.

The association representing domestic dailies has expressed concerns over the Segye Ilbo’s reports on "Cheong Wa Dae memoranda leak and Jeong Yoon-hoe scandal," saying, "The government’s intention to investigate reporters who wrote articles based on official documents leaked from the presidential office is an act to deny the media’s own function to monitor and criticize the power. The association expresses deep regret over a series of incidents in and out of Korea that may hamper activities of the media.”