[The Hankyoreh, July 22 2008] Broad coalition formed to stop gov’t ‘seizure’ of media

National Union of Media Workers plans to launch day-long strike tomorrow

Groups critical of what they see as the Lee Myung-bak administration’s attempt to take control of the country’s media outlets are coming together to form a pan-national umbrella organization to fight it.

The formation of the “Pan-National Action to Stop the Seizure of the Media and Coercion of Netizens” by the National Union of Media Workers, Media Solidarity, the Korean Broadcasters Affiliation, the Citizens Coalition for a Democratic Media, and other groups will be formally announced on July 22, according to a press release issued July 21.

The Democratic Party called an urgent party caucus on July 21, at which party leaders said they would “officially join with civil society to campaign both inside the National Assembly and beyond to stop President Lee Myung-bak from manipulating the media.”