Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Ultimatum to Close Pressroom Issued Again(The Korea Times)

Ultimatum to Close Pressroom Issued Again (The Korea Times):
" 12-04-2007
By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

The Ministry of National Defense issued an ultimatum Tuesday for its press corps to leave the existing pressroom by today. Instead, the ministry asked the reporters to move to a new central pressroom where the ministry has been giving press briefings since Nov. 1. However, most journalists have boycotted the briefings, saying they oppose the government's media policy. ``We can't delay implementation of the government's new media policy any longer. So please move to the new central pressroom,'' a ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The ministry will stop providing services for the press such as Internet lines and press releases unless the journalists move into the new pressroom by 6 p.m. Wednesday. But the press corps of the ministry again refused the request and demanded the government drop its media policy. ``We demand the government to stop oppressing the press immediately,'' the reporters' group said. ``We will not accept any request from the government.''"