Ahn Byung-hoon, former vice president of Chosun Ilbo, giving a lecture at a North Korean human rights event in July 2017. Yonhap News

Chosun Ilbo's Neglect of "Mr. Chosun Ilbo" Ahn Byung-hoon After His Passing

Why is the newspaper disregarding his contributions that ushered in its golden age?

The reason is Chosun Ilbo's occupation by the Honam network, which shies away from commemorating the deceased.

The fundamental issue is the structural problem of the JoongAng-Chosun-Donga's loss of identity.

Jo Woo-seok, current affairs commentatorI have seen some truly audacious obituary articles. I'm referring to one that appeared in Chosun Ilbo last week. "From Syngman Rhee to Saving Streams... An Eternal Journalist Who Presented a National Vision / Former Chosun Ilbo Vice President Ahn Byung-hoon Passes Away" (November 1st edition). Why is it audacious? It contains the rhetoric of a journalist who presented a national vision, but no supporting content can be found. Anyone who knows a little about the deceased's contributions and achievements would wonder, "What is this?"

The obituary briefly mentioned the deceased's achievement of leading the "Syngman Rhee and Nation-Building" exhibition during his tenure as editor-in-chief of Chosun Ilbo, aiming to correct a left-leaning modern history. It is true that the exhibition at the time was a catalyst that attracted 400,000 visitors and sparked a boom in Syngman Rhee research. He also spearheaded public interest campaigns such as "Let's Save the Streams" and the movement for an IT powerhouse, "Industrialization may be late, but let's lead in information technology."

The obituary also remembered anecdotes of the deceased being called by nicknames such as a "virtuous general" and a "harmonious boss," but that's all. Many things were omitted. The establishment of Giparang, a free-right wing publisher, immediately after his retirement in 2005, out of inability to watch the entire nation turn red, was only cursorily mentioned. This is a core part of Ahn Byung-hoon's life story, so why?

What is truly missing is the deceased's decisive contribution in elevating Chosun Ilbo, which was last in circulation when he joined in the 1960s, to the number one newspaper. Those who know, know. This is especially true for former newspaper reporters like myself. The 1980s and 1990s, when Ahn Byung-hoon served as political desk chief, editor-in-chief, editor, and vice president, perfectly coincided with Chosun Ilbo's heyday. He, along with his partner In Bo-gil, ushered in the newspaper's golden age.

Therefore, Ahn Byung-hoon is indeed "Mr. Chosun Ilbo" and the supreme commander of that newspaper. The obituary ignored such common information about the newspaper company. Please do not misunderstand. I am not blaming an inexperienced obituary article. The trend in Chosun Ilbo's pages has become even more peculiar since the obituary. From his passing last week until the funeral procession on the 3rd, the silence and disregard in Chosun Ilbo's pages struck me as even more bizarre. In a word, it's "Ahn Byung-hoon passing."

Ahn Byung-hoon is a giant in the media industry, inseparable from Chosun Ilbo, so why is there not a single customary tribute article separate from the obituary? It would have been normal for the current editor-in-chief or managing editor, representing the newspaper, or a former reporter to write a piece that resonates with readers, saying, "A great star has fallen in the media world. We will follow the path you have shown."

Common sense dictates that a boxed article sketching the deceased's wake and the situation at the funeral procession should also be published as a sign of respect, which is also basic information for readers. Chosun Ilbo did none of this. I confirmed this directly with a former Chosun Ilbo reporter. The deceased's funeral was, in form, a "Chosun Ilbo Company of Friends Funeral" (사우장). However, even that was not without issues.

In the early stages of the funeral, some argued that it would be appropriate to hold a Chosun Ilbo company funeral befitting the deceased's stature, but the company's response was simply, "There is no precedent." Even the "Company of Friends Funeral" was merely in name. Current and former executives simply stood in a line at the memorial service, blinking, which was the extent of the "Company of Friends Funeral" imitation. Not a single person read a tribute filled with the warmth and respect of their senior or junior colleagues. Even the courteous gesture of carrying the coffin together was omitted.

Therefore, there is only one question: Why is Chosun Ilbo so negligent in showing respect to its newspaper's supreme commander? Is it due to carelessness? Or is it intentional disregard? Given the circumstances, there is no sign that the Lee Jae-myung leftist regime is even considering awarding a posthumous medal to the deceased. This is not just a matter of Ahn Byung-hoon's personal honor, but the honor of all journalists. And all of this is a self-inflicted consequence and tragedy for Chosun Ilbo.

Still, discerning readers have not forgotten Ahn Byung-hoon's existence. Behind that hasty Chosun Ilbo obituary, they left a series of heartfelt comments, which could be considered the true "one-line tributes." They included comments such as, "The article is too meager compared to his dedication and achievements for Chosun Ilbo," "Ah, the supreme commander of the Bang Woo-young (former honorary chairman) era," and "Please protect the Republic of Korea of liberal democracy."

The highlight among the comments was the sharp remark, "He must not have been able to close his eyes seeing what Chosun Ilbo is doing now." I wholeheartedly agree. Let me ask again: What is the reason for such disregard for the deceased? This is the focus of this column. While there are various reasons, the insurmountable gap in political and journalistic views between the deceased Ahn Byung-hoon and the current Chosun Ilbo editorial staff or management is the problem. That is precisely what has created this ungrateful situation.

This means that the deceased was an eternal journalist who stood by the Republic of Korea, striving to remain faithful to the spirit of the free right wing, while the current Chosun Ilbo personnel are not. Crucially, the current Chosun Ilbo reporters find the existence of Ahn Byung-hoon burdensome or inconvenient. Shall I be more specific?

All of this is due to the Jeolla Province network that has taken over the top leadership of Chosun Ilbo. After the advent of the leftist President Kim Dae-jung over 20 years ago, the Gwangju High School line gained significant prominence. At that time, amidst the change of administration, Chosun Ilbo made a misstep by placing individuals from Honam in key editorial positions, either through tacit understanding with the Kim Dae-jung administration or through clandestine backroom dealings. Looking back now, it was a desperate move by Chosun Ilbo to survive and take the easy path.

In short, it can be seen as a consequence of making backroom deals with politician Kim Dae-jung, which became a huge source of trouble. Should I name names? Kang Chun-seok and Song Hee-young, who were successively appointed as editors-in-chief from the Honam region, are problematic. They were graduates of Gwangju High School, and subsequently, Chosun Ilbo inevitably saw a shift with many from the Honam faction, including them, being appointed to important positions. And that diluted the newspaper's editorial stance. Criticism of Kim Dae-jung disappeared or significantly diminished.

Do you understand? The newspaper's avoidance of direct confrontation with the leftist powers of Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and Lee Jae-myung over the past 20 years is also within this context. Not only that. The saying, "If JoongAng Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, and Dong-A Ilbo are newspapers, then my toilet paper is the Tripitaka Koreana," has been circulating for nearly a decade. That was around the time of President Park Geun-hye's impeachment. The impeachment commotion itself was a chaos of the media. After the change of government, they again buried their heads in the malicious act of demonizing the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

While colluding with the leftists in this manner, JoongAng Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, and Dong-A Ilbo have been on a steady decline. As seen in the case of former Vice President Ahn Byung-hoon, the newspaper's identity and credibility have been shaken for a long time. In the case of Chosun Ilbo, many of its former readers have also left. It is said that while it once boasted a circulation of 2 million copies, it is now reportedly less than 500,000. None of this can be considered anything other than self-inflicted.

This is the conclusion. It is burdensome for me to antagonize a major daily newspaper. However, after careful consideration, I have decided to write this column with a sense of certain calling. Not everyone can remain silent, can they? Before writing, I spoke with a former executive of Chosun Ilbo. As I questioned him one by one about the facts surrounding the funeral of Vice President Ahn Byung-hoon, he confirmed each one.

He eventually spoke with a choked voice. "Yes, it's all Chosun Ilbo's fault, and our fault. And Mr. Jo's views are all correct, so please write them as you believe. And what's wrong with Mr. Jo being from a different newspaper than Chosun Ilbo? You must write this for the sake of the media in this country."

Jo Woo-seok, current affairs commentator