Jang Bong-gun's Pen Retrospective My Newspaper Company Story 4

The media has taboo'd the term 'suicide' and made us use the circumlocutory expression 'extreme choice,' and now it's even restricting suicide reporting altogether? When we need to address structural and psychological social problems—South Korea ranking first in OECD suicide rates for decades—everything is treated merely as something to be controlled.

We must first improve the tendency to rationalize or glorify suicide. The expression "extreme choice" actually has the effect of rationalizing suicide rather than condemning it.

In the case of former President Roh Moo-hyun, the media used the term 'passing' instead of 'suicide.' Is it because saying suicide seems disrespectful? I believe it is better to lay bare the meaning of words and bring the essence into public discourse rather than conceal it. Especially for media that prioritizes factual reporting, this is even more important.

It is regrettable that the Hankyoreh decided not to use the title 'First Lady' for the First Lady, saying it was a product of the authoritarian era, only to abandon this stance due to backlash from zealous supporters. I think things went wrong from that point on.

The Speaker of the National Assembly made comments about the possibility of the incumbent president serving consecutive terms. This is a serious matter that is anti-constitutional and requires immediate resignation. I don't know what the print newspaper reported since I don't read it, but the online Hankyoreh covered it very small. This is problematic.