"DO YOU KNOW NAKHASAN?"

A Sunday morning in March, 2009.

Seoul, Korea. 

(TV news)

"Police arrested Rho Jong-myon, the YTN union leader and 3 other journalists on the early Sunday morning"

Vincent Brossel of Reporters Without Borders called on Seoul Namdeamoon  police station.

(Vincent Brossel interview)

"Upholding press freedom is just as important as the duty of press to uphold freedom."

(audio)

"We are living in a time when law is not a real law"

"Free the journalists immediately!"

"Stop the oppression of the press!"

2 days after the arrest, 3 YTN reporters were released. But one was left behind. To this day, Rho Jong-myon is still in custody.

(Vincent Brossel)

"It is quite scaring. In fact, it is the example that there is an intention. It is intention to limit the press freedom (especially for TV's and the Internet.)"

(Title)

"Korea's press pushed back to the 1980s."

Some background on who Rho Jong-myon is.

Journalist, Rho Jong-myon is the architect of 'Dolbalyongsang', a TV program mainly on political tidbits.

It's a widely popular program, attracting viewers from all walks of life to pay attention to issues and public figures aired on this daily program.

(Ban Ki-Moon / United Nations Secretary-General)

"Am I on Dolbalyongsang today?"

He was one of YTN's main news presenters.

(interview Aired on Aug. 20. 2007)

Lee Myong-Bak / Presidential candidate

-"Hello, candidate Lee"

-"How do you do?"

-"Congratulations. Please tell us about being nominated"

And he's been leading YTN labor union  since Sep. last year.

(audio)

"Nakhasan out!"

Literal translation of the Korean word "Nakhasan", would be parachute in English. But it's also locally used to describe the practice of officials parachuting into position of powers.

The current administration tapped Gu Bon-Hong, President  Lee Myong-Bak's former media adviser as YTN President.

Journalists view YTN dispute as a case of oppression of press freedom.

It took only 30 seconds at the shareholders' meeting to pass Gu's appointment.

(YTN reporter)

"I devoted my whole adult life to YTN,

How can you do this to us?"

As a chief of YTN, he took disciplinary actions against 33 reporters, and fired 6 of them.

This was the first politically motivated layoff since the 1980s when Korea was under dictatorship.

Due to the lay off journalists of  'Dolbalyongsang' Dolbalyongsang won't be on air for a while.

Gu hired contract security guards to protect himself and expanded the organization and created 12 new teams and new executive posts for his aides, despite company being on a budget. It's been 252 days since 400 YTN workers started their protest against Gu, as of today.

(Rho Jong-myon)

"Our struggle will not be over even if they arrested me."

"It is for impartial and fair broadcasting, which we journalists value the most. No regrets."

'Dolbalyongsang' award list

Dec.2004 Special award by Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club

Nov.2006 The best TV program award by Korea Society for Broadcasting Criticism

Dec.2008 '100 people who brighten the world' award by Korea Green Foundation

Jan.2009 Korea journalist award by Journalists Association of Korea

YTN Union award list

Oct.2008 An Jong-Pil Free Press award by Dong-A Free Press Guard Committee

Oct.2008  Appreciation Plaque by Supporters of YTN Union

Nov.2008  Democracy Press award by National Media Workers Union

Dec.2008  Song Gun-Ho Press award by Chung-Am Press Culture Foundation