The Korea Times (Japan edition)
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| The Korea Times (Japan edition) | |
|---|---|
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| Name | The Korea Times (Japan edition) |
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
| Format | Tabloid |
| Foundation | 1961 |
| Owners | Hankook Ilbo Group |
| Language | Korean, Japanese |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Osaka |
The Korea Times (Japan edition) is a Korean-language weekly newspaper published in Japan that serves the Zainichi Korean community and readers interested in Korea–Japan relations. Founded in the early 1960s, the paper operates within a complex field of diasporic media that includes publications such as Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, and Yomiuri Shimbun. It covers issues ranging from bilateral diplomacy involving South Korea, Japan, and North Korea to cultural reporting on figures like BTS, Park Geun-hye, Moon Jae-in, Shinzo Abe, and institutions including Seoul National University, Waseda University, and Kansai University.
History
The paper originated during a period shaped by the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea (1965), the aftermath of the Korean War, and the Cold War tensions epitomized by events like the Berlin Crisis and the Vietnam War. Early decades saw coverage connected to organizations such as the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), Mindan, and cultural institutions like Korean Schools in Japan, reflecting debates similar to those around Zainichi Korean identity and repatriation to North Korea and South Korea. Prominent political developments—April Revolution (1960), Gwangju Uprising, and the June Democracy Movement—influenced editorial focus alongside transnational events such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The paper has tracked relations impacted by leaders including Kim Dae-jung, Lee Myung-bak, Kim Jong-un, Yasuhiro Nakasone, and Naoto Kan.
Publication and Editions
The edition produced in Tokyo is complemented by editions in Osaka and regional inserts serving Hokkaido, Kyushu, and the Kanto area, mirroring distribution patterns of outlets like Mainichi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, and Nihon Keizai Shimbun. It publishes in Korean language with bilingual features in Japanese language for broader readership, similar in bilingual practice to publications such as The Japan Times (International) and Korean Economic Daily (Japan edition). Special supplements have focused on events such as the Olympic Games (including Seoul 1988 and Tokyo 2020), summits like the Six-Party Talks, and cultural festivals featuring K-pop acts, Korean cinema like works by Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, and literature by authors such as Han Kang and Kim Young-ha.
Editorial Stance and Content
Editorially the paper has navigated positions between groups represented by Chongryon and Mindan, often covering diplomatic rows involving Comfort women, Takeshima/Dokdo dispute, and security arrangements tied to United States Forces Japan and United States–South Korea relations. Its cultural pages highlight artists and institutions including NHK, Fuji Television, CJ ENM, SM Entertainment, and academic commentary from scholars at University of Tokyo and Korea University. Coverage often engages legal topics connected to cases in Tokyo District Court, business reporting on conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai, LG Corporation, and reviews of exhibitions at museums like the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Korea.
Circulation and Distribution
Circulation levels have reflected demographic shifts among communities in Kanagawa Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, and Aichi Prefecture, following migration trends comparable to patterns seen by Zainichi media such as Korean Voice and regional diaspora newsletters. Distribution channels include street vending in Shinjuku, subscriptions sent via Japan Post, sales at community centers linked to Zainichi Korean schools, and availability at bookstores like Kinokuniya and Maruzen. Print runs fluctuate in response to digital competition from outlets including Naver, Daum, Yahoo! Japan, and diaspora blogs hosted on platforms like Ameba.
Audience and Community Role
Its primary audience comprises long-term residents with ties to organizations such as Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan), ethnic cultural groups hosting events at places like Korean Cultural Center in Japan, and younger bilingual readers attending universities such as Sophia University and International Christian University. The paper functions as a community forum akin to roles played by Minjung Shinmun in South Korea or The Korea Herald internationally, sponsoring cultural programs, facilitating voter education around elections like South Korean presidential election, 2002 and Japanese House of Representatives elections, and promoting exchanges with civic groups like Japan-Korea Friendship Parliamentarians' Union and NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for human rights reporting.
Controversies and Criticism
Controversies have involved critiques similar to those levelled at ethnic presses, including alleged partisan bias related to alignments with Chongryon or Mindan, disputes over coverage of North Korea–South Korea relations, and debates during incidents such as the 2012 Liancourt Rocks dispute and the 2019 Japan–South Korea trade dispute. Legal challenges have arisen in matters comparable to libel suits adjudicated in Tokyo High Court and disputes over labor practices analogous to cases with Japanese trade unions and corporate litigations seen at Tokyo District Court. Critics from mainstream outlets like Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun have occasionally questioned editorial transparency and sourcing standards.
Ownership and Management
Ownership has ties to Korean press groups including the Hankook Ilbo Group and has interacted with Japanese media conglomerates resembling relationships held by Asahi Shimbun Company and Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings. Editorial leadership has featured editors and journalists with backgrounds at institutions such as Seoul National University, Keio University, and Waseda University; management decisions have been informed by market forces affecting media firms like Nikkei Inc. and by regulatory frameworks overseen by bodies akin to Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan) and media law precedents from Supreme Court of Japan.
Category:Korean-language newspapers Category:Newspapers published in Japan