'Prosecutors Press Corps Disbandment Demand' Cheong Petition Surpasses 200,000 Supporters... Exceeds Response Threshold

As of 8:20 AM on the 30th, more than 200,000 people agreed with the petition titled "Please dismantle the corrupt circle, the prosecution press corps." Photo by the Blue House National Petition Board capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] The number of participants in the Blue House national petition calling for the disbandment of the prosecution press corps has exceeded the response threshold of 200,000 people.

Earlier, on the 26th, a petition titled "Please disband the prosecution press corps, a chain of corruption" was posted on the Blue House national petition board. The petitioner stated, "To prevent the Republic of Korea from being manipulated any longer by a single word or line from the omnipotent prosecution and the prosecution press corps that parasitically enjoy privileges, the Blue House and the Minister of Justice must immediately disband this corrupt link, the prosecution press corps."

The petitioner added, "After reading OhmyNews' , the previously hidden prosecution and the prosecution press corps that have been enjoying privileges behind it are fully revealed," and said, "The Blue House, National Assembly, and government ministries have also operated press corps in a closed manner in the past."

Photo by OhmyNews Excerpt from the serial article "Jeong Yeon-ju's Korean Media Apocalypse" titled "Prosecutors' Press Corps, a Truly Strange Group"

The article mentioned by the petitioner was written by former KBS President Jung Yeon-ju on the 24th. In the article, Jung stated, "There are still groups and systems that enable journalistic power," and described it as "an exclusive and closed system and group called 'press offices' and 'press corps'."

Jung further explained, "Among them, especially the legal press corps such as the prosecution's have strong privileges, exclusivity, and authoritarianism, sometimes called the 'last fortress' of the press corps," and "In the 21st century, when openness and transparency are emphasized in all organizations, the legal press corps uniquely operate in a closed, exclusive, and authoritarian manner."

In response, the petitioner said, "Currently, there are 500 reporters covering the Blue House, over 1,000 in the National Assembly, and most ministries operate open press corps, but there is one place that still firmly maintains its privileges: the prosecution press corps."

He continued, "To register with the prosecution press corps, one must overcome a strict threshold, such as obtaining permission from the existing press corps. If not registered, reporters cannot use the press room, enter the briefing room, or receive press releases," adding, "Within this closed environment, those enjoying privileges develop a subtle sense of superiority, deepening their exclusivity and fostering a clique culture. Seniors and juniors look out for each other."

Additionally, the petitioner criticized the reporting methods within the prosecution press corps. He said, "The biggest problem is that the prosecution leaks information only to certain reporters, who then report it as an 'exclusive.' A single leaked word from the prosecution floods all newspapers and news, quickly turning falsehoods into facts. It is outrageous that the prosecution official who leaks information is called the 'editor-in-chief' among reporters."

This petition surpassed the response threshold of 200,000 participants within four days of posting and is expected to receive a response from the Blue House.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.