Rozwój prasy i innych mediów w Republice Korei

The press is a crucial weapon in the hands of its managers. It may be the so-called fourth power to control the ruling elites and shape the pu blic opinion thus playing an important role in each system of power. But the press can play such a role only if it is independent. The author tries to demonstrate the role of the Korean press in the process of creating the modern Korean state in the second half of the 19th century, difficulties it faced under the Japanese colonial rule in this country and, finally, its links with the system of the authoritarian rule until 1987, when partial democratization process started in South Korea. But despite progressing democratic changes the Korean press remains to a greater extend very dependent and little objective because it was not in a position to reject political and economic links and subordination to the different political and economic centers of power.