Advertisement

South Korea denies 'discrimination' in defector journalist ban

By Elizabeth Shim
South Korea denied access to Panmunjom to a reporter of North Korean background on Monday. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI
South Korea denied access to Panmunjom to a reporter of North Korean background on Monday. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- South Korea's unification ministry expressed "deep regret" over its decision to ban a North Korean defector from covering talks at Panmunjom while also defending the decision.

Unification Minister Cho Myung-gyun said Monday the ban on Kim Myung-sung, a reporter for the conservative Chosun Ilbo, was "deeply regrettable," Yonhap reported Monday.

Advertisement

"It is deeply regrettable that these circumstances came about," Cho told reporters after concluding high-level talks at the truce village of Panmunjom. "[But] it was an inevitable policy decision for the sake of implementing the Pyongyang Joint Declaration by carrying out high-level talks smoothly."

Cho also denied the government was discriminating against the reporter based on his background.

"Rather than presuppose discrimination, we were considering the location's characteristics, the importance of the objective of the talks, circumstances and other more comprehensive features to arrive at the decision" to ban the reporter, Cho said.

Kim was told at the last minute he would not be included in the group of pool reporters who were scheduled to travel to Panmunjom on Monday, the Korea Herald reported.

Officials said Seoul arrived at the decision independent of North Korea policy, according to the report.

Advertisement

South Korea's conservatives condemned the decision and accused the administration of "voluntarily obeying North Korea," News 1 reported Monday.

"Defectors are undeniable citizens protected under the [South Korean] Constitution, and the unification ministry is the agency assigned to support their resettlement," said Hong Ji-man of the Liberty Korea Party. "We denounce the Moon Jae-in government for ignoring the rights of 32,000 refugees."

Hong also said the government's justifications for excluding Kim were unacceptable.

South Korea's unification ministry press corps has released a statement condemning the government policy, according to News 1.

Latest Headlines