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South Korea and Free Speech

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ingrid28:
Found this article about Kim Ou-joon a podcast host from Seoul who takes a critical approach to Korea and its politics. Interesting read, just wish I spoke Korean so I could listen to the show: http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-korea-weasel-20111119,0,6041639.story#.Tw96WmSb6nM.facebook

Keuka:
This is not about free speech as much as it is about one Korean guy's political satirical activism.  Most, if not all, articles or references to free speech in Korea often focus on the libel laws here, which are often used to hammer down the nail that is sticking up.  And when you look up Ggomsuda in the dictionary, or try to, you will find it is not really there.  Ggomsuda literally translates to "sneak" and not weasel.  I suspect that weasel is the metaphor the satirical thorn in the side of LMB prefers.  However, in American English weasel is used as an animal metaphor for a sneak.   This guy sounds like hs is more of a funnier, a more satirical Matt Drudge than a Barbara Walters, or another investigative reporter type. 

Korean satirical comedy is fun to watch and great to listen to even if you don't understand every single word.   

Paul:
Related news on this topic:

New York Times on satirists being caught in the technicalities of the law:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/world/asia/south-korean-law-casts-wide-net-snaring-satirists-in-a-hunt-for-spies.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Open letter from Park Jung-Geun, detained in Suwon (the chap whose face you see in the image accompanying the NY Times report):
http://cherrybreakfast.posterous.com/free-seouldecadence-a-letter-to-president-two

And finally a casual reminder most of our jobs and if not our visas disallow any active input in these debates, lest anyone consider it.

jimmyeatworldwar:
Journalism is part of my work, so to add my perspective:

Kim is a pathetic(and I am sorry to say the word) activist who is known for his far-from-fact based activism. The Koreans know this.
The only reason why the radio show gained quite a bit of listeners is because of his status- he is an ex-lawmaker who got kicked out of the opposition party because of his a "uselessness" (actual word used by one of the party spokesman).
Anyway, he is rude (kind of like howard stern, but without the humor..not saying howard stern is rude), almost a sexist, and disagrees with every governmental policy.
The listeners are mainly teens and youngsters who consider him as someone cool because he goes against things- in my opinion he likes the spot light he's getting.

The question I want to ask is, to what extent should free speech be allowed? If false information and instability is what comes out from free speech, what happens then?

terivinix:

--- Quote from: Paul on January 17, 2012, 09:14:01 pm ---Related news on this topic:

New York Times on satirists being caught in the technicalities of the law:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/world/asia/south-korean-law-casts-wide-net-snaring-satirists-in-a-hunt-for-spies.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Open letter from Park Jung-Geun, detained in Suwon (the chap whose face you see in the image accompanying the NY Times report):
http://cherrybreakfast.posterous.com/free-seouldecadence-a-letter-to-president-two

And finally a casual reminder most of our jobs and if not our visas disallow any active input in these debates, lest anyone consider it.

--- End quote ---

I know Park Jung-geun. He's a good guy, certainly not a North Korean sympathiser. He actually has a serious illness that hasn't been accurately described to me which makes it very unlikely he'll survive in prison for very long.

Lee Myung-bak has been very heavy-handed in abusing the National Security Law, especially in 2011. Oh, and I'm just about eligible to vote in most elections, so I don't give a damn about not being allowed to say anything.

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