South Korea has transitioned through three media systems: 1) Under military dictatorship, newspapers faced censorship and closure and the government controlled messaging. 2) In 1987, politics were liberalized and hundreds of newspapers opened. However, a small number of papers came to dominate circulation. 3) Today the newspaper market is highly consolidated and commercialized. The government regulates dominant papers and is easing restrictions on cross-media ownership. Meanwhile, internet and digital media usage is rising as print circulation declines.

1. Overview of the Press
in South Korea
Foundations of European Communication Studies
5916291
Ki Hyun Kim

2. Hallin & Mancini's
Three media systems
The ‘Liberal model’ : USA, Britain, Canada, Ireland
- Strong development of the newspaper press, journalistic professionalism
- Very limited political parallelism
- Weak government intervention
- The market plays a strong role
The ‘Polarized Pluralistic Model’
: Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, France
- Late and incomplete development of the press
- Weak professionalization
- Strong elements of political parallelism
- A strong role of the state
The ‘Democratic Corporatist Model’
: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands,
Norway, Sweden, Switzerland
- Political systems are consensual
- Pluralism is organized and moderate
- Professionalization of journalism is high
- The state is involved in economic matters

3. Early History of Press Market
Korea’s first modern newspaper
: The Dongnip Sinmun (Independence Newsp
-aper), established in 1896
Japanese Colonial Rule
(1910-1945)
The Chosun Ilbo and
the Dong-A Ilbo
inaugurated in 1920

4. Under Military Dictatorship
1. Seung Man Lee’s government (1948-1960)
 Outlawed leftist newspapers
 Closed moderate newspapers
 Arrested reporters and publishers
2. Chung Hee Park’s government (1964-1972)
 Closed all but fifteen of Seoul's 64 daily newspapers
 Using its own radio and news agencies to promote
its official line
 The Press Ethics Commission Law
3. Doo Hwan Chun’s government (1980-1988)
 Independent news agencies were absorbed into
a single state-run agency
 Numerous provincial newspapers were closed
 Two independent broadcasting companies were
absorbed into the state-run KBS

5. Liberalization in politics
[Registered Daily Newspapers]
★ June 29, 1987 Liberalization in politics
- The government officially abandoned the authoritarianism
- Truly free press and liberalization in politics

6. After the Democratisation
- Capital controls the media
- The age of keen competition
- Concentrated ownership
- Commercialisation and Sensationalisation

7. Daily Circulations
National dailies: Selected local dailies:
Name Circulations Name Circulations
Chosun Ilbo 2,450,000 Busan Ilbo 400,000
Joong-ang Ilbo 2,350,000 Daegu Maeil shinmun 170,000
Kookje Daily News 100,000
Dong-a Ilbo 2,100,000
Hankok Ilbo 700,000
November 2001
Kyunghyang Shinmun 450,000
Hankyoreh Shinmun 400,000
Korea Daily News 400,000
Kukmin Daily 350,000
Munhwa Ilbo 300,000
Segye Times 200,000
Korea: 213 copies per 1000 people
※ United Kingdom: 303 / Belgium: 173 / France: 167

8. The Newspaper Market Share
[2008]
24.4 Chosun
28.1
JoongAng
Dong-A
Kyunghyang
3.7 Maeil Economy
4.3 18.8 Hangyerye
5.8 Others
14.9
★ Top 3 market share = 58.1% → Oligopoly
(62.3% in 2006)

9. State Intervention
Act on the Guarantee of Freedom and Functions
of Newspapers (amended in 2005)
Article 17. Market-dominating business operators
- one business operator whose market share accounts for
not less than 30% of the average number of newspapers
- 3 or more business operators whose total market share
accouts for not less than 60% of the average number of
newspapers
Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade
: Article 3-2 (Prohibition on the Abuse of Market Dominance)

10. Hot Issue: Deregulation Plan
Easing the ban on ‘Cross Media Ownership’
Large firms with more than 3 trillion won (190 million Euro)
in assets are banned from owning news channels
→ 10 trillion won (630 million Euro)
Remove coglomerates’ 49% limit of shareholding in the
satellite broadcasting sector
Allow conglomerates to hold up to 49% in a terrestrial
DMB business
Foreingers’ shareholding limit in the satellite
broadcasting setor will be lifted from 33% to 49%
Efficiency Pluralism
Competition
VS Diversity

11. Conclusion
Pattern of Variation in Four Media System Dimensions
on the analogy of Hallin & Mancini
Polarized Democratic
Liberal Korea
pluralist corporatist
Development of
Low High High High
mass press
Political parallelism High High Low Getting Lower
Professionalization Low High High Getting Higher
State intervention High High Low Getting lower

12. Conclusion
Korea

13. Change of Media Usage
[Newspaper Subscription Rate Per People. 1996 ~ 2006]
[Weekly Newspaper Reading Hours of Internet Users]