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S Korea urges Japan to calm down over Japanese reporter

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BS! It's a clear-glass conspired attack. They singled out the Japanese journalist who only took something already available. Now you're telling people to cool their temper? Are they making fun of Japan? South Korea you are a shame!

36 ( +44 / -8 )

So she is responsible for the sinking just because she may or may not have been "with a man"? Does it actually matter where she was?

-15 ( +10 / -25 )

7 years in jail for speculating about the president. I guess democracy doesn't always result in a free society.

40 ( +43 / -4 )

Maybe in Korea newspapers and television cannot bitch about their president which happens everyday in Japan.

12 ( +18 / -6 )

Wow, "urges Japan to calm down" I can recall many past events Japan could have said the same thing to S. Korea.

17 ( +21 / -4 )

So now we see that the so call 'free' South Korea is simply a 'North Korea Lite'. Don't talk bad about your dear leader or you will be punished! NO FREEDOM FOR YOU!!!

28 ( +30 / -2 )

On Tuesday, the South Korean foreign ministry urged Japan to calm down, describing the case as a matter of law enforcement.

“It’s not proper for Japanese government officials to make unnecessary remarks because this is related to legal procedures, not a diplomatic issue between the governments of South Korea and Japan,” he added.

Agreed, its called quid pro quo. Japanese diplomats tell SK to calm down all the time about something like visits to Yasukuni saying it is strictly a "domestic issue" and that SK should mind its own business. Same thing here. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

-16 ( +11 / -27 )

I wonder if truth is an absolute defense in S. Korea? And yes, now every righteous expression of Korean rage will be replied to w "calm down."

7 ( +7 / -0 )

"South Korean prosecutors began questioning Kato on Aug 18 on complaints filed by an association of citizens."

If this is true and it's a matter of law, why did it have to take complaints from "an association of citizens" to prod the prosecutors to indict.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

South Korea/North Korea.......same backward minds.....Makes them look pathetic in world opinion

24 ( +27 / -3 )

the South Korean foreign ministry urged Japan to calm down

From what I have read, Japan has remained quite calm, although outraged, over this issue. Or did I miss something?

Also, South Korea certainly wouldn't take it calmly if the Japanese government brought charges against and put a travel ban on a South Korean journalist for libel for a story on PM Abe. Hypocrisy.

19 ( +20 / -1 )

If you want Japan to "calm down", then grow up and get over it, already. End your own ego-centric sentiments. You don't prevent someone from leaving the country over an alleged defamation charge.

26 ( +27 / -1 )

South Korea may have laws protecting freedom of speech and publication. However, problem with any laws on defamation is that they do not tell you what you may do and they lay down in broad terms what you may not do. You can defame a person by repeating words spoken by someone else. There is no defense to claim that you were only quoting someone else. One thing you should always remember, if there is any fear in your mind that you might be committing defamation, ask for professional legal advice before publishing.

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

"Two Overreactions Don't make a right." - S. Korea

We can overreact to this Reporter, but if you do it, it's just poor taste. Ha!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I guess SK doesn't believe in freedom of the press the same way that Japan does. So "calm down" isn't a reasonable request. SK might deport the guy but bringing him up on charges is more like NK. But then again, she is a dictator's daughter.....

If I were the reporter I would head for the Japanese Embassy.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Doesn't believe in freedom of the press the same way Japan does, that is until the state secrecy come into action...

Wonder if someone will be trolling around on here demanding posts be deleted and so on...

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

I guess the principle of freedom of press still doesn't exist in South Korea after all the so-called democratization. I mean: what the hell? No one forces you to read and take to first degree whatever is written in the papers, you know. You don't like what is written, take a hike and go for the next news outlet.

Also, South Korea certainly wouldn't take it calmly if the Japanese government brought charges against and put a travel ban on a South Korean journalist for libel for a story on PM Abe. Hypocrisy.

Exactly what I was thinking for a second just now.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

The professional and moral standard of the world press as a whole is higher than ever before, but the reality of the dangers threatening freedom of expression in South Korea cannot be overestimated.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

@sfjp330 This is exactly why defamation laws should be dropped: if you can't prove actual injury (in a civil court) then tough luck.

As for this "calm down" thing, Japan should tell SK that it should calm down about Yasukuni.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

jerseyboyOct. 15, 2014 - 07:47AM JST Agreed, its called quid pro quo. Japanese diplomats tell SK to calm down all the time about something like visits to Yasukuni saying it is strictly a "domestic issue" and that SK should mind its own business. Same thing here. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

No, it is not the same, because politicians visiting Yasukuni in their own free time aren't hurting anyone in South Korea. The South Koreans are trying to jail a Japanese citizen for 7 years in retaliation? ... not the same at all. Its like if someone says or does something that offends you (like visiting a certain shrine) and then you turn around and beat their family member so severely they need to be hospitalised (for 7 years in this case).

I also fundamentally object to laws that put a higher penalty on liable of the president. It runs counter to the idea of "equality before the law". It stinks of the old "lesse majeste" laws that had one punishment for commoners and another for the nobility. The president is a person just like any other.

The simplest solution is for this reporter to just walk down to the docks, get on the nearest Japanese ship and come home. The law he's being tried under is manifestly unequal, and the motivation clearly political. Under those circumstances any moral obligation to honor the laws of that country is clearly voided.

P.S. Was anyone struck by the incredible irony of politicians in South Korea speaking out publicly to tell Japanese politicians that it was inappropriate to be commenting publicly on a legal matter? A real case of the pot calling the kettle black.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

"God Japan, so we decided to arbitrarily persecute....er I mean prosecute some Japanese reporter on trumped up charges that are clearly politically motivated and clearly a violation of any minimum standards of freedom of the press, geez don't go making some federal case over it....actually you can't because we don't have a federal system but anyway its just a figure of speech. You know what we mean."

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The simplest solution is for this reporter to just walk down to the docks, get on the nearest Japanese ship and come home. The law he's being tried under is manifestly unequal, and the motivation clearly political. Under those circumstances any moral obligation to honor the laws of that country is clearly voided.

Nope. The reporter is loving this for it basically reaffirms what Sankei has been writing about all these years about Korea which one consist of their absurd judicial system. As Sankei's president stated, they are not backing down.

The stupidity of Pak is that by threatening the reporter with indictment, she thought that he would cave in and offer a public apology and the retraction of the article (which is essentially a summary of Chosun Ilbo column published earlier). Not only was she dead wrong, Sankei came slugging even more with other major news agency criticizing Korea's immature law.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

It's only Libal if it's not true. Like when I say she looks like an ugly dude, it's not libel because it's true.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

“I think the Japanese need to remain cool-headed,”

A SK politician is telling Japan to remain cool-headed about something?? Hahahaha.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141014_08.html

S.Korea divided over journalist's indictment - Oct. 13, 2014

... South Korea's Justice Minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn, told parliament on Monday that the Chosun Ilbo article was different from the one penned by Kato. ... He said that the South Korean daily expressed concern about false rumors. ... Some members of the ruling party are saying the authorities should have gone further and detained the Japanese journalist ...

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Either the article is true, in which case it is not defamation, or it is not true and the question then arises: why don't the South Koreans indict the Chosun Ilbo journalist too? This case just makes the South Koreans a laughing stock and shows their "legal" system to be vindictive and biased.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

The vaguely worded clauses in the law are being used to target arbitrarily individuals and groups perceived to be critical of the government. No one is denying the right of South Korea to ensure the security of its citizens, but that is not what is being witnessed. The controversial clause is Article 7 that provides for imprisonment for up to seven years for anyone who ‘praises, incites or propagates the activities of an anti-government organization. ' This defined clauses in the NSL have left it open for substantial increase in abuse by the police and security services in the last five years.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

... South Korea's Justice Minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn, told parliament on Monday that the Chosun Ilbo article was different from the one penned by Kato. ... He said that the South Korean daily expressed concern about false rumors. ... Some members of the ruling party are saying the authorities should have gone further and detained the Japanese journalist ...

Yeah right. It's not Sankei that reported the staffer's name and his marital status, first. Concern?? Is this moron serious? If Chosun Ilbo was concerned about the rumors regarding the President, why on god's earth are they repeating the rumors in the column?

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Just shows what a backward nation SK is, the president is leading a country that does not allow real reporting, those who criticise Abe on here be warned Abe will send out his henchmen to get you for slandering him and talking smack on JT. Ridiculous to consider this but in korea its reality.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Tatsuya Kato, who until Oct 1 was bureau chief of the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper

According to the Japan Times, Kato was relieved of his position. Is Sankei not supporting him, and if so, what might be read into this?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Scrote: why don't the South Koreans indict the Chosun Ilbo journalist too? ... nigelboy: Yeah right. It's not Sankei that reported the staffer's name and his marital status, first. Concern?? Is this moron serious? If Chosun Ilbo was concerned about the rumors regarding the President, why on god's earth are they repeating the rumors in the column?

The Justice Minister's comment tends to confirm what I said in the other JT thread on this. That pastes of translated articles indicate the Chosun Ilbo reporter did not link the President to the divorced staffer except by using the staffer's divorce details as an example of why secrecy is bad. And that the Chosun Ilbo reporter condemned the Sankei article.

Maybe the Chosun Ilbo was trying to cleverly skirt the line of defamation by bringing in the divorced staffer rumors. The stock market bloggers picked it up. And the Sankei reporter made the link that was not made before except possibly by anonymous bloggers.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

This is the original article in question.

http://www.sankei.com/world/news/140803/wor1408030034-n1.html

It is still available to be read online.

1) It is written in Japanese, so it is intended to be read by Japanese people. It is still available and not taken down. 2) The main point of the article is that the Park administration has become weak, evidenced by the fact that Chosun Ilbo and other sources were reporting even rumours about the 7 hours after the Sewol accident, that no-one was able to meet with Park and her wherabouts were unknown. And that the rumour was that the she was meeting a man. 3) Kato (and Sankei newspaper) is being pressured into making and apology and retracting the article, but they have not admitted any guilt for defamation and have not taken down the article. 4) This article was translated into Korean without the approval from or notification to Sankei, and there may be issues with the accuracy of the translation. In other words, the translator "added" some political angle by the use of certain words that have a much stronger and derogatory meaning in Korean. http://www.sankeibiz.jp/express/news/141010/exd1410100700002-n1.htm 5) The Chosun Ilbo was given a verbal reprimand from the authorities and apparently have retracted their original article and have made an apology (I do not have any souces for this information, though). But in any case, no criminal charges were brought against the journalist, nor the newspaper, nor the third party Korean national that made the unauthorised translation.

Kato has been charged not with a civil case, but a criminal offense that if found guilty carries a penalty of up to 7 years imprisonment.

It seems that there are many people who think that Kato wrote an article in Korean, aimed for the Korean audience on paper medium sold in Korea, that directly suggested that during the 7 hours Park went missing after the Sewol accident that she was having sex with a married man who used to work as a Presidential aide and is still often considered to be one of Park's confidantes.

I hope the facts above will clarify what actually occurred.

By the way, what is with the "East Sea (Sea of Japan)"??????

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Did she give an alternative story to the journalist's article ?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I will go out on a limb here and predict Kato will be tried, found guilty and sentenced, and then released by a presidential "pardon" designed to make South Korea seem magnanimous and merciful. His "punishment" in this case will have been the millions of yen (or tens of millions of Korean won) that the Sankei organization would have had to pay for his legal defense.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Bit slow to join the conversation this morning, however, I must say that I am heartened by the tenor of debate. As rightly pointed out, these rumors about the President of South Korea have been doing the rounds for a couple of weeks. Moreover, I believe the only reason that this Japanese journalist has been charged is he is Japanese. President Park is trying (and currently failing) to boost her publicity by trumping up these charges against a foreigner. That this happens to be Japanese is giving her that much more mileage. Ideally the overseas press will show a bit of solidarity on this and start cranking up the pressure. A page 1 article in the New York Times would probably be effective.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

SenseNotSoCommonOCT. 15, 2014 - 09:53AM JST Tatsuya Kato, who until Oct 1 was bureau chief of the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper

According to the Japan Times, Kato was relieved of his position. Is Sankei not supporting him, and if so, what might be read into this?

Kato was not "relieved of his position." He was being rotated back to Japan, as is common practice for the Sankei Shimbun newspaper. He has the full support of the Sankei Shimpun.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Some Koreans need to calm down too, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hglKd5FDY

I really wonder if these people have any real understanding of this issue.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The Sewol ferry sinking has wrecked Park's presidency. She's just digging the hole deeper. There are reasons to be concerned for South Korea's democracy. Earlier this year, a sitting member of parliament named Lee Seok-ki was sentenced to 12 years in prison on apparently questionable charges of sedition. The Sankei reporter should be let go pronto.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sea of Japan (East Sea). Should be read that way. Could be confusing to the world outside of Korea since Sea of Japan is what most know instead of East Sea.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Korea telling Japan to "calm down: is so funny my stomach hurts. Seriously though that South Korea's legal system allows this kind of prosecution of the press is something that has alarmed the entire world's journalists and news agencies. That South Korea has prosecuted only the Japanese news source while ignoring the South Korean news sources that served as the basis of those rumors is certainly enough to create a diplomatic incident. Sorry but Japan is in the right here and South Korea simply looks ridiculous.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

No, it is not the same, because politicians visiting Yasukuni in their own free time aren't hurting anyone in South Korea.

Frungy -- nonsense, it is the exact same. Politicians visiting Yasukuni hurt surviving comfort women and other survivors of Japanese aggression in SK.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

Japan has no place talking about "freedom of press" given the new secrecy law, rigging of interviews or discussions of NPPs, etc. the bottom line is the guy printed baseless rumors. Libel and slander may help sell the Suukan weeklies and Asahi and other papers here with little or no punishment here, but not so much elsewhere. As for some of the info being general knowledge from the net, how do you punish those people if it is known who posted it? There are few laws in regard to the Internet by comparison to a licensed paper.

As for those talking about deliberate attacks and the lot, Jerseyboy is right; live by the sword, die by the sword. They don't like Koreans complaining about certain things, don't whine when the shoe's on the other foot.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This move is very unpopular among South Koreans. They feel that its just a matter of time before SK nationals are rounded up if shes allowed to get away with it.

The government has asked Kakao (their version of LINE) to provide records of private conversations that spread this rumor. To his credit the Kakao CEO has refused and is facing gaol.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Onsen-san, thanks for the summary.

Koreans love to be high-strung and over-react to stuff. They should be all "maa maa, iijanai" like mellow Japanese people.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I think turbotsat and I have worked out the major source of error/confusing/defamation on the previous thread.

The Chosun Ilbo article contained reference to a "秘線" or secret line, mentioned by the aide in this statement "대통령이 그날 모처에서 비선(秘線)과 함께 있었다" http://tinyurl.com/qe2a28s

which Kato translated and glossed in the following way 『大統領は当日、あるところで“秘線”とともにいた』というウワサが作られた」。  「秘線」とはわかりにくい表現だ。韓国語の辞書にも見つけにくい言葉だが、おそらくは「秘密に接触する人物」を示す。 "On that day the Present was somewhere with a "secret line"" Secret line is a difficult phrase to understand. It is not even in the Korean dictionary but it probably means someone that one meets in secret. (!!!)

In fact using even Google translate (!!), "secrete line" (秘線) is a Chinese gloss of "defence" and refers to the boundary border Zone between North and South Korea!

The aide did not admit that the President met with someone in secret, but said that she was somewhere in the border area! With this mistranslation firmly in mind, Kato later comes out with (the ridiculous)

”証券筋が言うところでは、朴大統領の“秘線”はチョン氏を念頭に置いたものとみられている。” According to our securities source, the secret personage (in fact border rear) is seen to be thought to be Mr. Chon (the aide) .

Whether his source was making fun of him I am not sure, or whether the source meant to say that saying that the president was in the border area was a way of obfuscating, in any event, Kato's misunderstanding of "Secret line" as a person not a place, caused his version of the original article to be more concrete and thus arguably defamatory. But at base, I think it was just his language skilz.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

timtak,

You are saying that your interpretation of 秘線 is a location?? babylon says 비선 = confidential http://translation.babylon.com/korean/to-english/

Looking at other Korean source news articles related to 비선, it is clear that the word refers to a group of confidential aides.

You really think that at that time, when the official explanation from the Presidential Office is that Park was in the Blue House all of those 7 hours, that she was in the DMZ area?

I do not read Hangul, but you should check on other news articles using the word 비선.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

By banning Kato from leaving Korea, they have made him a prisoner of the country just for writing some bull about Park. Sheesh..

3 ( +5 / -2 )

One more thing.

This is what Kato is saying about his questioning by Korean authorities.

<http://www.zakzak.co.jp/society/foreign/news/20141010/frn1410101140004-n1.htm

It's in Japanese, though.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

timtak : ... the major source of error/confusing/defamation on the previous thread ... "secret line" ...

Yes! Also that it appears that the Chosun Ilbo reporter Choi Bosik is using the divorced staffer's case as an example, not to tie him to the President. He may have meant to link the President's disappearance and the staffer's divorce case by placing them in the same article, even though he doesn't link them directly in the article (if he doesn't, as this interpretation relies on Google Translate of the article). Leaving himself an escape route which Mr. Kato of Sankei didn't take advantage of.

Onsen : The Chosun Ilbo was given a verbal reprimand from the authorities and apparently have retracted their original article and have made an apology (I do not have any souces for this information, though).

Some relevant posts from the earlier article on the topic are linked below, they have links to original and translation of Chosun Ilbo article, Choi Bosik's response to Sankei, etc.

The Chosun Ilbo article is apparently available behind a paywall, nonpaywalled copies can be found elsewhere.

I didn't read Choi Bosik's (Chosun Ilbo reporter)'s response to the Sankei article as a retraction, but as condemning the Sankei article, at least from the Google translation.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/japanese-journalist-indicted-in-s-korea-for-defaming-president#comment_1860626

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/japanese-journalist-indicted-in-s-korea-for-defaming-president#comment_1861638

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/japanese-journalist-indicted-in-s-korea-for-defaming-president#comment_1862684

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

This is the crux of the S.K. awareness.... they're constantly aware of what is written and broadcast about them. Not because the actual news is that important worldwide... but because they badly need to be recognized and along that vein they monitor anything, anywhere, said about them. This S.K. Foreign Minister is sadly mistaken... he believes wrongly that Japan actually cares what the Korean's think.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

This defamation charge is BS, but you guys do realize that Mr. Kato took a few rumours along with his own "sources". Wrote an article about the president being with a man all day on the day a ferry sank and 300 people died. And without any real hard facts. Oh yeah, and he works for a paper thats pretty anti-Korean.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/12/national/media-national/tabloids-brimming-with-anti-korea-diatribes/#.VD3-gNNuvFo

He's not going to do any jail time and I don't think he should. But there is reason to be angry with him. Both Japan and Korea need to grow up.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

This sounds almost like a NORTH Korean story... and for the SK government to tell Japan to calm down is a joke. Had this happened to a South Korean journo in Japan you can bet there would have been street protests and burning of Japanese flags.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

This is theatre of the ABSURD! WTF!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

iradickleOct. 15, 2014 - 02:41PM JST

And without any real hard facts.

Who is hiding the facts? The president was missing for 7 hours on that critical day. She has not yet explained what she was doing on that day as of today.

Oh yeah, and he works for a paper thats pretty anti-Korean.

So what, even if it was true? Most papers are critical of the government. Yet, freedom of press is protected by constitution in a democratic country.

But there is reason to be angry with him.

What does that have to do with the indictment? Do you remember what SK said? "I think the Japanese need to remain cool-headed." It is a message that the "angry" party should listen to. "Anger" is no justification for violation of freedom of press.

Both Japan and Korea need to grow up.

This is an expression that is used when Korea is 100% wrong.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Sorry you are right. 秘線 does not mean the DMZ . I think that Mr. Kato was right. It is my language skilz that are bad.

"that relationships with any foreign body or organization secretly, or such a relationship" <http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://bunnyhoony.tistory.com/m/post/249&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25EB%25B9%2584%25EC%2584%25A0%2B%25E7%25A7%2598%25E7%25B7%259A%26hl%3Den

I do still believe that there are slight difference between the two articles and the Korean paper hedged slightly more ambiguously.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

JohnY921Oct. 15, 2014 - 05:02PM JST

Learn to recognize when and what to be shameful - and worked up for.

The shameful is the people who think what happened or what is said to happened 70 years ago is a valid justification for present and manifest human right violation by the government today.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

The more the Korean government tries to brush it off with these kind of antics the more the global opinion is going to become more critical to their actions.

Really SK needs to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that they are only painting themselves further into a corner and as nigelboy states Sankei is at the front row center making a mockery of SK's every move.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

CH3CHOOCT. 15, 2014 - 05:02PM JST

So your saying that there are no facts, then why publish anything? Yeah, freedom of press. So that makes cheap shots and pettiness okay. Gotcha I'm sure they were all extremely pleased with his work. Don't read too far into it. Yep, because Japan and Korea = Korea.

This little feud has been around for a while. As i said i don't think anything serious will happen. This is another (overblown) example of pettiness between two countries.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

iradickleOct. 15, 2014 - 06:08PM JST

1So your saying that there are no facts, then why publish anything?

Sankei reported that there is even a rumor that the president was with a married man at the moment.

The existence of the rumor is an established fact reported by a Korean news paper.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Don't Korea!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Well that's what what happens when people speak truth to Power.

Besides, this story about Ms. Park getting her "Feak On" during the time when the ferry was sinking was already out in the SK Press long before Mr. Kato reiterated his story about her "Whereabouts".

This is just another Political Attack from a Raciest Nationalisit now turned Dictator SK President who apparantly focus's more time on Men than her job.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Good lord, JT has become nothing but a bunch of folks looking for opportunities to bash SK and China. A skeptic might think it is in reaction to China leap-frogging Japan as the #2 economy, and SK firms like Samsung kicking J-Inc's butt. Sad.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

I love the way the Japan haters and South Korean defenders are out in force on this story.

Instead of placing blame for what the South Korean government is doing against a Japanese reporter who reported what had already been reported by South Korean news. You guys try and change the topic to one that blames Japan.

Sad.....But, when folks hate something they are blind to the facts.

On Tuesday, the South Korean foreign ministry urged Japan to calm down, describing the case as a matter of law enforcement.

No, it's a matter of Authoritarian tactics being used against reporters.

The only thing this story has to do with Japan is the way South Korea is using the same tactics that President Park Chung-hee used to keep the press in line.

The apple hasn't fallen far from that tree.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Do you guys here have any ex-pat friends living in Korea? I wonder what they think about Japan.

Us ex-pats living here in Japan always defend Japan when it comes to history and South Korea's constant dwelling on the past. I have always wondered what ex-pats in Korea think about Japan and if the media has brainwashed them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

JT has become nothing but a bunch of folks looking for opportunities to bash SK and China

This has nothing to do with bashing any country. Without any doubt, in this case, South Korea is in the wrong. Their position is completely indefensible.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

very very disappointed in South Korea and its behavior of foreign journalists. It's quite obvious the SK's shadow bosses have not forgotten something that happened over 60 years ago. Time to let go of the bottle you old twits. This kind of behavior only proves the shadow bosses in Japan that the Koreans are beneath them and they have been right all along. SK has been moving more and more to the side of China under the Park regime and further and further away from its allies.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

South Korea is the one that needs to cool down. HYPOCRITES!! They can not let anything go at all. Who are they to say anything about calming down? South Korea. Time and time again you embarrass yourself. Wether it be at fixed matches in the Asian Games or in politics. You just keep getting worse and worse.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

"Had this happened to a South Korean journo in Japan you can bet there would have been street protests and burning of Japanese flags."

Maybe time to burn some S.Korean flags?

9 ( +10 / -1 )

@Serrano - NO KIDDING. They would have lost their minds. "Oh, the indignity of it all! would have been made into a song. Can we throw away political correctness for a while and call a spade a spade? This is something the South Koreans would go NUTS over but somehow they feel that it is okay to do such a thing. They would never stand for such a thing, so what gives them the right to do that? SMH!!!!!!!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Shame on the SK. Freedom of the press, anyone? It's obviously a political strategy of Park to draw her the attention and support of the korean people by indicting a Japanese reporter. Why on earth didn't she indict Chosun Ilbo for what they FIRST wrote? SHAMELESS to say Calm down when they should be the ones to calm down for UNFORGIVENESS. a nation living in the past.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Horrible law to have on the books. South Korea should be ashamed here

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Wow, I would be scared to live in SK since there is no freedom of speech. Is SK under dictatorship or something? All of their former presidents have been arrested or have been found dead. OMG. I do not like Korea one bit. More like hate now. I am for freedom of speech.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

South Korea is no different from Commie China.....

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Samsung kicking J-Inc's butt?

This is a blast with their profit dropping like a rock. What was their recent report redacting profit forcasts. ROFL.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

CH3CHO I've already said the charges are BS. South Korea is wrong to do this.

But leading up to this, you have BOTH sides, always at each other. Nagging or crying about this or that. Finding any way to make the other look bad. Idk, it just gets on my nerves.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Well, I've read through the entire thread. The following jumps out: lots of claims are made about ROK's relative freedom of the press, with no data to support it. Choosing one data point to make a conclusion is like sticking your head out the window right now and, because it is cool and rainy, determining the climate is a temperate rain forest region.

The data does not suggest ROK is like China or North Korrea, nor is worse than Japan when it comes to the freedom of the press. Here is the data from the France-based Press Freedom Index:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_Freedom_Index

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

If S. Korean President thinks her country was democratic nation and then she must recognize press freedom and the press has right to report where about her when the ferry was sank and she must accept public criticizing her. She must come out with answer why she couldn't available for 7 hrs after Ferry sank. If the press report was wrong and then she has to correct incorrect report but not to prosecute reporter.

If President Park Geun-hye wants her reputation’s spotless and then she needs to do right thing. Prosecution on everyone who criticize her is not the right solution. It will see President Park Geun-hye as Authoritarian Government.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@JTDanman What are you talking about? Are you trying to suggest that South Korea actually has freedom of press? Seriously? It just does not make any sense. Sorry. When have you ever seen a journalist arrested for making false claims against a prime minister? Especially a claim that was originally reported by the hometown press? Only in China and South Korea, which seems to resemble more like North Korea could a foreigner be in trouble for something that the hometown press actually first reported. So the hometown press can report something but a foreign press can not pick it up and repeat it???

And AMEN Kubota Chan. She has to answer where she was. Not arrest the evil foreign newspaper who reports it, after it was already reported by hometown news sources.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

It could be just that it was simply easier to prosecute one person who was easy to get a hold of as opposed to those on the net. It could be that him being Japanese was simply a coincidence. (though unlikely)

Or it could be that he was a juicy target because he is Japanese.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Sandieglove

Did you look at the data?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So she is responsible for the sinking just because she may or may not have been "with a man"? Does it actually matter where she was?

As far as I can tell, the article that was written made no claim that she was responsible for the sinking. It appears to be more of a "Nero fiddled while Rome burned" kind of article. A gossip article.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

JTDanMan

According to Press Freedom, the sharp drop in Japan's index is due to:-

In Asia, Japan (53rd, -31) has been affected by a lack of transparency and almost zero respect for access to information on subjects directly or indirectly related to Fukushima. This sharp fall should sound an alarm.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@jerseyboy Haha you are one to talk, you bash Japan all of the time on here. Hypocrite.

luvjpfam -- actually I very often do critisize elements of Japan, you are correct. But that is based on over ten years of living there, and getting a first-hand knowledge of the culture, and how the country works. (I actually still have personal and business interests there and return at least a couple of times a year.). "Bashing", IMO, is just blindly attacking a country or society based on no actual experience, just bigotry, hatred, or envy, and is therefore, of no constructive value, other than for the poster to relieve their stress. And anytime JT puts up a story that casts either SK or China in a potentailly negative light, that is what the discussion evolves into. And god help anyone, like myself, who dares to point out that Japan's skirts are not clean in this area.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

"Bashing", IMO, is just blindly attacking a country or society based on no actual experience, just bigotry, hatred, or envy, and is therefore, of no constructive value, other than for the poster to relieve their stress.

You just described yourself perfectly there. LOL.

You didn't make it in Japan. We get that. There are literally hundreds of them posting here so don't go lecturing about 'first hand knowledge of the culture and how the country works' when all you have proven are the complete opposite.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

nigelboy -- LOL if it gives you comfort to think that way, go for it. Truth is, I took out high six figures when I sold my interest in my company there, and am still on a buy-out and receiving director's fees. What bugs you, is that folks like myself do see exactly "how the country works", and can compare that to other countries and cultures and point out where Japan is failing miserably. As I have stated many times, I think Japan is a fantastic culture with incredible history and traditions/values to be proud of. The problem is that current generations have lost those traditions and values, and, in many cases, actually make a mockery of them. They let the success of the "Japan Miracle" go to their heads, and are now just a bunch of arrogant, insecure, spoiled and globally-ignorent people. And the constant bashing of SK and China whenever given the chance reflects this.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2994038

Aug 26,2014 - ... The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday it had verified that Kato’s controversial Aug. 3 report stating that Park was missing for seven hours on the day the Sewol ferry sank, secretly meeting a recently divorced former aide, was groundless. ... Prosecutors recently summoned Chung for questioning to confirm his whereabouts on April 16, the day the Sewol ferry sank ... Chung told prosecutors he did not meet the president or visit the Blue House the day the Sewol capsized. He added that he was with other acquaintances that day. He requested prosecutors to “firmly punish” the Sankei Shimbun’s Seoul bureau chief for the false allegations in the article. ... The Blue House earlier submitted documents to the prosecution detailing President Park’s schedule and security details on April 16. Chung, the son-in-law of Choi Tae-min, the late pastor who served as a mentor to Park, was also questioned by the prosecution over a local news magazine’s allegations that he had hired someone to shadow President Park’s younger brother, Ji-man.

Also, can google with http://tinyurl.com/n2hr4qn (google in Korean for Sewol, Park Geun-hye, and Jung Yoon-ho, the ex-staffer's name).

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Also, can google with http://tinyurl.com/n2hr4qn (google in Korean for Sewol, Park Geun-hye, and Jung Yoon-ho, the ex-staffer's name).

What's the point? Sankei merely stated that "there is a rumor that....".

This goes back to my original statement in a related article. What page and which paragraph in this link is considered 'defamatory'?

http://www.sankei.com/world/news/140803/wor1408030034-n1.html

2 ( +5 / -3 )

nigelboy ...

「大統領をめぐるウワサは少し前、証券街の情報誌やタブロイド版の週刊誌に登場した」

 そのウワサは「良識のある人」は、「口に出すことすら自らの品格を下げることになってしまうと考える」というほど低俗なものだったという。ウワサとはなにか。

 証券街の関係筋によれば、それは朴大統領と男性の関係に関するものだ。相手は、大統領の母体、セヌリ党の元側近で当時は妻帯者だったという。だが、この証券筋は、それ以上具体的なことになると口が重くなる。さらに「ウワサはすでに韓国のインターネットなどからは消え、読むことができない」ともいう。一種の都市伝説化しているのだ。

translated with http://translation.babylon.com/japanese/to-english/:

[the rumor around the President appeared in the weekly for information magazine and tabloid of the securities street a little ago] As for the rumor, it is said that [a person with the good sense] was the thing which is vulgar so as to say [I think that it will lower own dignity even to send to the entrance]. What is the rumor? According to the people involved of the securities street, it relates to the relations of President Boku and the man. As for the partner, it is said that it was a married man at the time of with the mother's body of the President, former aide of the セヌリ party. But a mouth gets heavy when these securities line becomes concrete more than it. Furthermore, I say [the rumor already disappears from the Korean Internet and can't read]. I become a kind of urban legend.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I guess SK doesn't believe in freedom of the press the same way that Japan does.

Very funny. Have you heard of Abe's new secrecy law? What about all the death threats against people working in Asahi News who was blamed for the Comfort Women fiasco, and Abe government's pressure on Asahi?

Yeap, silence in land of Japan, as the crickets chirp.

On the other hand,

The media in Korea has been very critical of the travel ban on the Sankei newsman. There have been very critical editorials in Korea criticizing the Korean government for censorship, editorials like in the Hankyoreh news and Donga Ilbo.

People in Korea don't believe in democracy? That's pretty silly, considering that the people in Korea are the ones outraged right now with all the censorship moves that the president has been doing lately to silence her critics. Instead, that question really should be asked of Japan, considering that the Japanese media and the Japanese people have remained silenced by all their irregularities in Japan.

That Japanese reporter isn't going to serve one day in jail, so Japan should calm down.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Thank you turbotsat.

Thank you!!! Reporting the specific nature of the rumor itself.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

You're welcome :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JTDanManOct. 16, 2014 - 12:06AM JST The following jumps out: lots of claims are made about ROK's relative freedom of the press, with no data to support it.

I just loved the way you tried and make it seem as if Japanese and South Korean freedom were no different by presenting the wiki page. Classic look at my right hand but don't look at my left hand trick, a true illusionist! Hell, even your link went nowhere.

What you seem to have not mentioned was that even though Japan came in 42nd place and South Korea came in 68th place on the Freedom of the press rankings for 2014. This doesn't mean that they are both considered "FREE" and that is the key!

In fact, (here we go with more of those evil facts), South Korea is placed in the Yellow portion of the ranking meaning that the South Korean press is, wait for it........... "Partly Free"! While Japan's press rating even though ranked 42nd is in the Green portion of the ranking meaning it is Free!

There lies that truth that you so conveniently tried to hide with your slight of hand trick. And here lies the real link that will show everyone how wrong folks are to try and defend the South Korean government's tactics.

http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press-2014/press-freedom-rankings?gclid=CPGlrNHJr8ECFQdwvAodRWEApg#.VD7jdKPlqJC

South Korea (68) is not ranked on the same level as Communist China (183), North Korea (197) or Russia (176), but that doesn't mean they can be considered on the same level as Japan (42).

JTDanManOct. 16, 2014 - 12:46AM JST Sandieglove Did you look at the data?

Actually did you look at all the data?

The rankings.

http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press-2014/press-freedom-rankings?gclid=CPGlrNHJr8ECFQdwvAodRWEApg#.VD7jdKPlqJC

A map of the World

http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/freedom-press-2014#.VD7q9aPlqJA

Report on South Korea.

http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/freedom-press-2014?gclid=CNbOytXNr8ECFZcnvQod8VcADw#.VD7nr6PlqJB

Report on Japan.

http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2013/japan#.VD7q26PlqJA

Japan's press is free to say what it wishes, but South Korea's isn't and that is a fact!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

JoeBigs, it's all a matter of where the source of the rankings.

The reporters without borders ranks it differently

http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php

And they're rankings doesn't include Japan's new secrecy law that came into effect just recently - which is not in the new ranking. I imagine Japan's press freedom will be far worse next year.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Papi2013Oct. 16, 2014 - 07:07AM JST And they're rankings doesn't include Japan's new secrecy law that came into effect just recently

Actually it did.

In 2012 Japan was ranked 22nd, but fell to 53rd in 2013 because of the lack of access to Fukushima. Big drop!

In Asia, Japan (53rd, -31) has been affected by a lack of transparency and almost zero respect for access to information on subjects directly or indirectly related to Fukushima. This sharp fall should sound an alarm.

http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html

2013 Japan was ranked 53rd, but dropped to 59th due to the secrecy bill.

The "special intelligence protection bill" that the National Diet in Japan (59th, - 5) adopted in late 2013 would reduce government transparency on such key national issues as nuclear power and relations with the United States, now enshrined as taboos. Investigative journalism, public interest and the confidentiality of journalists' sources are all being sacrificed by legislators bent on ensuring that their country's image is spared embarrassing revelations.

http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php#

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Sankei Shimbun newspaper is not an innocent victim as it claims. For instance, It routinely runs articles that target and tarnish Japan’s neighbors, doing the character assassination all the time without shame.

I don’t know why many Japanese hold so much hatred towards Koreans; they call them nasty names and give hate-speech at the bigots march on the streets. It’s very disturbing.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Tower of Babel it is.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@JTDanMan - Yes, i have looked at the data, but that is beside the point and is irrelavent. It is a story by a right wing hate based newspaper, but that is freedom of the press.

@ethanWilber - What are you talking about? It is not the Japanese at all who hold hated toward the South Koreans. No, no. It is the South Koreans who are doing 99% of the hate mongering. Without there constant insistence, the Sankei would hardly even exist. They feed that magazine. What is very disturbing is how the South Koreans act. Always talking about WWII and never letting it go so the two countries can get along. Do you that this President's father agreed to a crept a lot of money from Japan as retribution, took it rebuild his country with it and the SK government did not even admit to it until 2006!! The fact is that the South Koreans are the haters. they refuse to ket things go and do so many hater marches against the Japanese back there at Seoul. They are the haters. And that is what is disturbing.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Turbostat's machine translation above needs some serious human editing. It advances our understanding by 50% but then skews it by a further 25%...

Glad to see that there is much opposition within Korea, which shows that democracy is alive and well there too, despite some of the overbearing excesses of the authorities.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Japan urges S Korea to put a sock in it....News at Eleven!"

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Yes, i have looked at the data, but that is beside the point and is irrelavent.

Data is irrelevant. So, you form your beliefs on emotions and how you wish the world to be.

Nice to know.

JoeBigs

Reporters w.out borders is a different group than the American based one you source.

Regardless of the source, the salient point is simple:

Japan and ROK have about the same ratings of free press. Both are heading towards less freedom of the press in the past five years.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And they're rankings doesn't include Japan's new secrecy law that came into effect just recently - which is not in the new ranking. I imagine Japan's press freedom will be far worse next year.

I imagine so will S. Korea's.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Is S.Korea making a political mistake?Why would others cooperate with mean people?Also, if a defamation is that ill regarded(7 years! Wow!), then it would seem the S.Korean press has been all along narrated by its government,not free speech, not honest testimonies. It would be easier to publicly defame the newspaper the journalist worked for, rather than giving its own citizens something mean to chew on.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

JTDanMan - Yes, it is beside the point. The point is that South Korea has no right at all to tell Japan to calm down. South Korea is always the country that is pitching a hissy fit over anything and everything and it is getting old. That is the data that I know. If you know of different data then that, then post it right here. No, I don't form my opinions from emotions or beliefs. It takes time for me to form an opinion and that opinion has been formed over a very long period of time of watching the South Koreans overreact. The fact that a right wing newspaper republished what other South Korean papers had already published, is exactly the point. South Koreans had already published it. But they were not the ones arrested or harassed. This is the problem.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

There is a good balanced article in the Korea Herald Editorial section here:

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20141010000639

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@nandakandamanda - Great and informative post. I liked it. Even if Kato's article was not completely backed by facts, the prosecutors’ decision to indict Kato is excessive. I kind of wonder if this did not come down directly from President Park Geun-hye, herself. She has shown obvious disdain towards Japan on numerous occasions and the fact that the nobody from the conservative Korean daily was arrested not anyone else from other sources. Only a Japanese was arrested, no Koreans. Why not? Did she fear that Koreans would get angry over it if a South Korean was arrested but would applaud if a Japanese right winger was? One can only assume as much from their actions.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sandie

I'm talking about freedom of the press, and the data says, that Japan and the ROK are essentially the same on that count.

Your focusing on this instance and this instance only is poor thinking. It is, in fact, the kind of poor thinking that leads to damn-the-data, full speed ahead nonsense so indicative of much of what is wrong in Japan.

Stop following the headlines. Think for yourself.,

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

JTDanManOct. 20, 2014 - 01:08AM JST

Your focusing on this instance and this instance only is poor thinking

In human right violation cases, every case is important. The victims are not just numbers.

In addition, this case will set a precedent to the freedom of press in Korea, one way or the other. If a bad precedent is set, Koreans will have hard time to overturn it.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@JTDanman - Excuse me? Your last post seems to be the pot calling the kettle black.

One, I am focusing on this instance because this is happening now and it is wrong. It is wrong because it violates freedom of the press. And it is wrong because only the Japanese were charged. And that is called racism.

Two, even if I were not focusing on this one instance, South Korea has a very long history of censoring the press. Japan does not quite have the problem that South Korea does on that issue. The two medias are not similar at all and the South Korean media can only pale in comparison to the freedom of press that exists in Japan. Did you not read the article that Nandakandomando posted? Here, let me show you something from there, directly out of the Korea Herald:

In indicting a reporter from a foreign newspaper which has been at odds with the Korean government for its position on Japanese military sexual slavery, the prosecutors have served notice that similar actions could be taken against the domestic press as well.

See, "serve notice that similar actions could be taken against the domestic press as well. That is racism.

Three, I dont like the Japanese press at all. They cow-tow to the Japanese way too much. But so does the Korean Press. In order to keep power the South Korean government has for the longest time bashed Japan and taught its citizenry to despise them and the media has worked very well with the government to achieve that. Demagoguery at best.

JT, you seem to be the only one damning the date and going full speed ahead. No, that is what is wrong with South Korea. Too much hate preaching and limited press freedoms. You seem to be ignoring the data and facts.

http://www.fletcherforum.org/2012/12/20/shim/

Please take a look at that. South Korea does not even come close to Japan when we are talking about freedom of the press and I have absolutely no idea why anyone would think so.

I am not following the headlines and as for "think for yourself". Let's not be rude, as you have been and tell each other to think for ourselves. That is belittling at best. South Korea does not have press freedom as much as you want to think.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Makes you appreciate America, you can say whatever you want about the president and not fear getting jailed

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If I were in Japan's position, I'd be making a HUGE ruckus over this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@drake - Actually we have taken that WAY too far. Now you can say anything about the president at all wether true or not. Hurtful, deceitful. ANYTHING AT ALL. SMH how one party feels that patriotism means the guy in office is only honorable and your president if he is of the same party. There needs to be a middle ground. Somewhere between America and South Korea.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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