Signature campaign corner opposing the media's false and distorted reports

Recently, foreign media are releasing reports one after another that distort the actual financial and economic situation in South Korea. Such reports are clearly false, and they seem to hope that South Korea once again experiences a financial crisis like that of 1997. If those foreign media did not have such intentions, why would they issue false reports that can throw a country into a crisis and great confusion?

Fortunately, the South Korean government is directly confronting such false reports of foreign agencies by actively refuting the reports. As a South Korean, I felt reassured by the government's measure.

Foreign media that have recently made false or exaggerated reports on rumors of South Korea's economic crisis include the Times, Financial Times, Reuters, Dow Jones news agency, and International Herald Tribune, and etc. Such news agency made it seem that South Korea showed strong signs of foreign exchange crisis by using wrong statistics and translations.

Contents published by internationally famous media have enormous effects. Therefore, it is highly likely for the country, of which false reports were made, to be hit severely.

It is not difficult to predict the actions that the US, the UK, and France would take should South Korea's media make serious false reports concerning economic issues as well as education and racial problems of these countries.

Among the major functions of the media, providing accurate information and observing the society are considered most important. The press must be faithful in realizing such core functions. However, if media agencies do not report the truth and refuse to reflect on their mistakes after making distorted and false reports without confirming the facts, such agencies no longer deserve to be regarded as media agencies.

The press must remember that trivial false reports can cause huge side effects and social confusions as well as friction among states. The fundamentals of South Korea's economy are strong. South Korea when compared to other countries have a relatively healthy financial structure and ample foreign exchange reserves. The leaders and people of Korea are well united to overcome the difficulty.

It is worrisome that foreign media as a whole could be mistrusted by the Korean people due to false reports of a crisis in South Korea's economy issued by some foreign news agencies.

I pursue the press to be faithful in executing its functions such as reporting the truth and realizing social justice. Media agencies that continuously make false, exaggerated or distorted reports must remember that they will be strongly criticized by netizens throughout the world that love freedom and justice.

I completely agree with the above opinion, and put my signature.