World Journalists Conference 2021 to focus on role of journalism in post-COVID era, global climate issues

SEOUL: Around 60 journalists from 50 countries will team up to discuss the role of journalism in the post-COVID era and in global climate issues.

The two themes will be taken up at the World Journalists Conference 2021 hosted online by the Journalists Association of Korea (JAK) on April 18-20. The annual media event has been held without interruption since 2013, addressing various themes related to media choices, outlooks and strategies regarding prominent global issues.

“Our work in the field and at the editor’s desk have shown us the extent of the difficulties that have plagued many people’s lives since last year,” JAK President Kim Dong Hoon said.

“Our imperative for this conference is to cooperate and coordinate information in preparation for the post-COVID era. After all, our existence in the global village taught us that a single state’s precautionary measures are insufficient to end the spread of infectious diseases.”

On the first discussion day, journalists will debate the sweeping changes across people’s lives, assess the role of the media and how the media landscape is likely to look in the post-COVID era.

“The global climate issues theme of this year’s World Journalists Conference will allow us to discuss the accelerating crisis of climate change and environmental damage,” Kim Dong Hoon said.

“We are focusing on issues of great importance that must be addressed to ensure peace and prosperity across the globe.”

The 2020 conference, dedicated to the themes of fake news virus, COVID-19 measures, and peace policy, was also held online following travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kim Dong Hoon addressing the WJC 2020 (Photo by Sang-ki Lee)

“The World Journalists Conference has grown into one of the foremost journalist conferences in the world with rich discussions on relevant and prominent issues in journalism,” Kim Dong Hoon said.

The Journalists Association of Korea, founded in 1964, has more than 10,000 members from 188 media companies.