Min Hyungbae: "Journalists Covering Disasters and Accidents Need Trauma Treatment"

Lead Proposal for the Amendment to the Mental Health Promotion Act
"State to Provide Support for Psychological Stability and Social Adaptation"

Min Hyungbae, Member of the National Assembly.

On the 16th, Min Hyungbae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Gwangsan-eul, Gwangju), proposed an amendment to the “Act on the Promotion of Mental Health and Welfare Services for Persons with Mental Disorders” (hereinafter referred to as the Mental Health Promotion Act), which aims to ensure that journalists who suffer psychological harm while covering disaster and accident scenes receive support for psychological stability and social adaptation.

The amendment explicitly includes “media coverage” in the list of on-site response duties defined by current law, such as “rescue, recovery, and treatment,” thereby clarifying the guarantee of trauma prevention and treatment.

Min explained the legislative intent, stating, “Recently, journalists covering aircraft disaster scenes are exposed to the risk of psychological trauma,” and added, “We must ensure that journalists who carry out their duties with a sense of mission are guaranteed systematic support through the National Trauma Center.”

He further emphasized, “Currently, the three major terrestrial broadcasters and some media outlets are providing trauma healing through connections with professional psychological counseling agencies. If the amendment passes, media companies that lack financial resources will also be legally protected.”

According to an April 2022 survey by the Journalists Association of Korea, 61% of field reporters in broadcasting and newspapers responded that they had experienced psychological trauma during the reporting process. In particular, after the Itaewon disaster, the National Trauma Center and the Korea Press Foundation released “Disaster Reporting Guidelines for Trauma Prevention,” but these guidelines are not legally binding.

Min stated, “I hope that this amendment will help alleviate, even a little, the long-standing hardships faced by journalists since the Sewol ferry disaster, the Itaewon disaster, and the recent aircraft accident.”

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