Yoon’s attacks on the press betray critical misread of what makes democracy work



Opinion Yoon’s attacks on the press betray critical misread of what makes democracy work Rooted in South Korea’s illiberal past, Yoon and conservatives still view too much freedom as risky and destabilizing Michael BreenDecember 2, 2022 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON President Trump addresses the South Korean National Assembly 2017, via Wikimedia Commons When the Yongsan Presidential Office (YPO) last month denied a customary seat for one of South Korea’s largest broadcasters on Yoon Suk-yeol’s plane to report on his trip to Southeast Asia, it appeared to score an embarrassing own goal. Yoon has publicly positioned himself several times as a champion of freedom. He used the word 30 times to drive the point home in his inaugural address. But by apparently attempting to censor MBC over a wafer-thin pretext, Yoon did more damage to his credibility than his worst critics could have done. The YPO claimed that MBC threatened national security and © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Samsung, SK Hynix rejection exposes South Korea’s chip-grid financing problem 02Trump’s Cheongung social media post tests Seoul’s refusal to arm to Ukraine 03Lee Jae Myung risks public trust as South Korea rewires its justice system 04South Korea turns to Central Asia as Iran war tests its energy resilience 05Houthi seizure of Mokha sharpens South Korea’s Hormuz deployment dilemma 06Japan’s stronger yen may cut Korea’s import bill while raising funding costs 07South Korea leans on Europe as Hormuz deployment choices grow narrower 08Hanwha’s Austal bid shows where South Korea’s MASGA plan may be heading

Opinion

Yoon’s attacks on the press betray critical misread of what makes democracy work

Rooted in South Korea’s illiberal past, Yoon and conservatives still view too much freedom as risky and destabilizing

Michael BreenDecember 2, 2022

Yoon’s attacks on the press betray critical misread of what makes democracy work

President Trump addresses the South Korean National Assembly 2017, via Wikimedia Commons

When the Yongsan Presidential Office (YPO) last month denied a customary seat for one of South Korea’s largest broadcasters on Yoon Suk-yeol’s plane to report on his trip to Southeast Asia, it appeared to score an embarrassing own goal.

Yoon has publicly positioned himself several times as a champion of freedom. He used the word 30 times to drive the point home in his inaugural address. But by apparently attempting to censor MBC over a wafer-thin pretext, Yoon did more damage to his credibility than his worst critics could have done.

The YPO claimed that MBC threatened national security and

LATEST ANALYSIS

01Samsung, SK Hynix rejection exposes South Korea’s chip-grid financing problem
02Trump’s Cheongung social media post tests Seoul’s refusal to arm to Ukraine
03Lee Jae Myung risks public trust as South Korea rewires its justice system
04South Korea turns to Central Asia as Iran war tests its energy resilience
05Houthi seizure of Mokha sharpens South Korea’s Hormuz deployment dilemma
06Japan’s stronger yen may cut Korea’s import bill while raising funding costs
07South Korea leans on Europe as Hormuz deployment choices grow narrower
08Hanwha’s Austal bid shows where South Korea’s MASGA plan may be heading

Yoon’s attacks on the press betray critical misread of what makes democracy work

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Michael Breen