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Korean Central News Agency

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Korean Central News Agency
Chosŏn'gŭl
조선중앙통신
or 조선통신사
Hancha
朝鮮中央通信
or 朝鮮通信社
Revised RomanizationJoseon Jungangtongsin
or Joseon Tongsinsa
McCune–ReischauerChosŏn Chungangt'ongsin
or Chosŏn T'ongsinsa

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) is the state news agency of North Korea and has existed since December 5, 1946. KCNA is headquartered in the capital city of Pyongyang.

Organization

KCNA is the sole news organization of North Korea, and regularly reports news for all the North Korean news organizations (including newspaper, radio and TV broadcasts via Korean Central Television) within the country and monitors their output, replaying stories favourable to the DPRK.[1] Since December 1996, the KCNA has been publishing its news articles on the Internet with its web server located in Japan. In addition to Korean, KCNA releases news articles in English, Russian, and Spanish. Access to its website, along with other North Korean news sites, has been blocked in South Korea since 2004 and can be accessed only through government authorization.[2][3]

KCNA has press exchange agreements with 46 foreign news agencies including Itar-Tass and Xinhua News Agency with whom the agency is modelled on,[1] and South Korea's Yonhap News Agency[4] with correspondents and bureaus in six countries, namely Russia and China.[5] In 2004, the agency had employed 2,000 people.[6]

According to its website, KCNA "speaks for the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government". The agency has been described as a "government mouthpiece" by those who support[7] and are critical of the regime[8][9] which is said to portray a favourable image of North Korea to an international audience.[10] In June 1964 on one of his first official activities, Kim Jong-il visted KCNA headquarters and said the agency should "propogate the revolutionary ideology of the Leader (Kim Il-sung) widely throughout the world."[11] However, the agency is also said to offer a unique insight into the North Korean "mentality", due to the secretive nature of the state.[12][13]

A talk given to officials at KCNA on June 12, 1964, outlines the function of the news agency:

In order to become a powerful ideological weapon of our Party, the Korean Central News Agency must provide a news service in accordance with the idea and intention of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, establish Juche firmly in its work and fully embody the Party spirit, the working-class spirit and the spirit of serving the people. It must pay serious attention to each word, to each dot of the writings it releases because they express the standpoint of our Party and the Government of our Republic.[7]

The speech stresses the importance of the leader reading the news reports, and care should be taken when writing them. It states that modernising media technology is important to develop a better service, and that the agency is "renowned throughout the world".[7]

Due to government control, the agency rarely, if ever, reports any bad news from the country.[14] Nonetheless, it has on occasion acknowledged food shortages in the country.[15][16] The Ryongchon disaster was also reported in April 2004, after a delay of two days.[17]

Recurring themes

KCNA articles generally revolve on several specific themes (examples in reference section):

  • Detailing performances of cultural events, usually attended by various dignitaries.
  • Decrying the actions and attitudes of the United States,[18] Japan,[19] South Korea[20] and other nations, particularly as regards military cooperation, historical events or trade among those nations. Personal attacks on American, Japanese and South Korean leaders are not unknown.
  • Calling for the reunification of Korea under the Juche idea.[23][24]
  • Communications, visits, and gifts (it does not name the particular gift) to and from various like-minded or friendly nations.[30][31][32] Regarding the number of gifts, KCNA claimed that former leader Kim Il-sung receives "2,910 a year, 243 a month, and 8 a day."[33]

Editorial practices

Editorial practices reflect a recurrent theme of denying the legitimacy of any Korean rule except by Pyongyang:

  • South Korea (ROK) is always referred to as "South Joseon (Korea)", as one would describe a place, not a nation. The articles often describe North Korea in the same fashion, referring to it as "North Joseon (Korea)", implying that the two countries will be reunited in the future. In the English service, the ROK is referred to as "south Korea".
  • The ROK leadership are referenced in quotations, as in "government" "ministry" and "authorities" to imply illegitimacy.
  • Any laws or regulations enacted in the ROK are referenced in quotations, as in "National Security Law".

New Year editorials

As a tradition, KCNA, along with the three main state run newspapers in North Korea, publishes a joint New Year editorial that outlines the country's policies for the year. The editorials usually offer praise for the Songun policy, the government and leadership, and encourage the growth of the nation. They are also critical of the policies of South Korea, Japan, the United States and Western governments towards the country.[37][38] On January 1, 2006 the agency sent out a joint-editorial from North Korea's state newspapers calling for the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea.[39] While annual January 1 editorials are a tradition among the papers, that year's brought attention from Western media outlets, by calling for a "nationwide campaign for driving out the U.S. troops".[40] The editorial made several references to Korean reunification. The 2009 editoral received similar attention, as criticism of United States policy was absent, and the admission of severe economic problems in the country. The editorial also made reference to denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, in what analysts claimed was a "hopeful" sign.[41][42]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Pares, S. (2005). A Political and Economic Dictionary of East Asia: An essencial Guide To The Politics and Economics of East Asia. Routledge. ISBN 978-1857432589.
  2. ^ North Korea claims South's website restrictions deny human rights. Internet Business News. January 26, 2007.
  3. ^ North Korea Newsletter No. 56 (May 28, 2009). Yonhap. May 28, 2009.
  4. ^ About Us, Yonhap.
  5. ^ a b Koreascope Mass Media
  6. ^ Attacks on the Press - 2003, Committee to Protect Journalists, March 11, 2004.
  7. ^ a b c A Talk to the Officials of the Korean Central News Agency June 12, 1964 KFA
  8. ^ Word For Word/North Korea's Press Agency; Mouthpiece of the 'Great Leader': Bombast, Bile and Bowling News, New York Times, February 20, 1994.
  9. ^ Not-so-secret visit eases the way to nuclear talks, The Times, January 19, 2006.
  10. ^ Quick, A. C. (2003). World Press Encyclopedia: A Survey of Press Systems Worldwide. (2nd eds.) Gale. ISBN 978-0787655846.
  11. ^ Lee, H. (2001). North Korea: A Strange Socialist Fortress. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 67. ISBN 978-0275969172 (Link to page [1])
  12. ^ Bennett, G. & Dresner, D. (1999). Directory of Web Sites. Taylor & Francis. pp.580. ISBN 978-1579581794.
  13. ^ North Korea Hunger, Reuters, July 10, 2008.
  14. ^ Daily News about North Korea, Digital Chosunilbo, July 15, 2005.
  15. ^ Shortages of food in the DPRK, KCNA, September 25, 2000.
  16. ^ Is North Korea facing famine?, BBC News, June 25, 2008.
  17. ^ Reeling, hungry, N Korea heads to nuke talks, Asia Times, May 7, 2004.
  18. ^ U.S. Scenario for Preemptive Nuclear Attack on DPRK Blasted, KCNA, December 11, 2005.
  19. ^ KCNA Blasts Fukuda Regime's Suppression of Chongryon, KCNA, March 18, 2008.
  20. ^ KCNA Blasts Lee Myung Bak Group's Anachronistic Confrontational Policy, KCNA, January 8, 2009.
  21. ^ Chongryon on preserving national character, KCNA, May 21, 2002.
  22. ^ Japanese Reactionaries' Moves to Cover up "Comfort Women" Issue under Fire, KCNA, November 6, 2006.
  23. ^ All Koreans Urged to Remain True to Idea of "By Our Nation Itself", KCNA, January 9, 2009.
  24. ^ a b DPRK's Important Days Marked in Foreign Countries, KCNA, March 18, 2008.
  25. ^ Reporters without Borders 2005 report
  26. ^ Meagre media for North Koreans BBC NEWS, October 10, 2006.
  27. ^ Kim Jong Il Inspects KPA Unit, KCNA, August 2, 2007.
  28. ^ Kim Jong Il's Leadership Praised in Peru and India, KCNA, June 30, 2005.
  29. ^ Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Lauded, KCNA, January 8, 2009.
  30. ^ Floral Basket and Congratulatory Letter to Kim Jong Il from Cambodia, KCNA, January 9, 2009.
  31. ^ Reception for FM of Myanmar and His Party, KCNA, October 29, 2008.
  32. ^ Chinese Art Troupe Gives Performances, KCNA, October 29, 2008.
  33. ^ Many gifts to Kim Il Sung, KCNA, April 8, 2003.
  34. ^ "Agent for Preserving Kimjongilia Developed", KCNA, October 21, 2008.
  35. ^ New Kind of Pesticide Developed, KCNA, July 3, 2006.
  36. ^ Blood-Purifying Finger Ring, KCNA, May 18, 2005.
  37. ^ North Korea issues New Year denuclearization pledge, Reuters, December 31, 2008.
  38. ^ N. Korea Vows to Rebuild Economy in New Year Message, The Korea Times, January 1, 2009.
  39. ^ "Joint New Year Editoral Issued", KCNA, January 1, 2006.
  40. ^ "North Korea Demands U.S. Troop Withdrawal", Fox News, December 31, 2005.
  41. ^ 2009 Joint New Year Editorial Issued, KCNA, January 1, 2009.
  42. ^ North Korea message is mild on US, BBC News, January 1, 2009.

External links

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