WJC 2023: JAK President calls for urgent preparation to embrace future crises

Participants pose for a group photo (JAK)

SEOUL: The World Journalist Conference 2023 (WJC 2023) concluded on Sunday following a week of speeches, debates and visits to cities in South Korea that included Busan and Suwon.

In his opening remarks at the launch of WJC2023, Journalists Association of Korea (JAK) President Kim Dong Hoon called on journalists to recognize the challenges facing them and prepare to deal with the expected crises.

“If we do not prepare for our future, journalism may face unprecedented crises. This is why we must reflect on issues and develop solutions now.,” Kim Dong Hoon told the participants in WJC 2023.

The annual gathering, held in person after three on-line conferences due to the COVID pandemic, addressed The Challenge of Journalism for the Regional Development and Leadership in the Digital Transformation Era and the Future of Journalism.

The conference speeches and debates brought together more than 50 journalists from 47 countries, according to organizers.

JAK President Kim Dong Hoon delivering his speech (JAK)

“Under the topic ‘The Challenge of Journalism for the Regional Development’, we have prepared a session to discuss solution journalism case studies that examine local community issues and propose solutions. We encourage you to share your insights for the revitalization of local journalism,” Kim Dong Hoon, the 48th president of the Journalists Association of Korea, said.

“In the ‘Leadership in the Digital Transformation Era and the Future of Journalism’, we take a moment to contemplate our path in the rapidly changing environment. We now live in an era where we can access the news and information we need anytime, anywhere with a single smartphone.”

Participants should go beyond their different nationalities, races, genders, and ideas to contemplate the two topics and find solutions, he added.

“We all share the same identity as journalists who strive for truth, freedom, and peace with sharp reasoning and warm hearts,” he said in his opening remarks to the conference.

Participants being briefed during one of the visits (Picture: Sang-ki Lee)

Established on August 17, 1964, the Journalists Association of Korea, the largest association of journalists in South Korea, celebrates its 59th anniversary this year.

JAK has over 11,000 members from 203 companies spanning newspapers, broadcasting, telecommunications, and internet platforms.

“Since its inception, the Journalists Association of Korea has recognized the importance of international exchange and upholds the principle of “building stronger bonds with journalists from around the world.” In 1966, we joined the International Federation of

Journalists (IFJ) as a full member and have actively participated in the international journalism community ever since,” Kim Dong Hoon said.

“Since 2013, the Journalists Association of Korea has been hosting the World Journalists Conference, inviting journalists from around the globe to Korea, and this year we are organizing the 11th conference.”

JAK has contributed to preparing for the future of the global community by holding conferences to discuss journalism and various topics such as “Peace on the Korean Peninsula and the World,” “Development and Future of Journalism,” “Climate Change

and the Role of Journalism,” and “Preparing for the Post COVID-19 Era,” he added.