Asia Journalist Association holds special press Conference, issues statement

Crisis in Korea: A call for democratic recovery and leadership to lead Asia

1,000 Asian journalists urge unity and communication to overcome division and conflict

SEOUL: The Asia Journalist Association (AJA) held a press conference on March 4, 2025 in Seoul, regarding South Korea’s current martial law and impeachment crisis.

The association expressed its hope that Korea would swiftly overcome the turmoil and reaffirm its role as a model for Asia through a more advanced democracy and strong leadership.

The press conference, held at the Korea Press Center, was attended by AJA President Sophal Chhay (Cambodia), former AJA Vice President Eddy Suprapto (Indonesia), AJA Vice President Kang Seok-jae (South Korea, former journalist at The Korea Herald), and founding AJA President Lee Sang-ki (publisher of The AsiaN, former journalist at The Hankyoreh). During the event, the AJA revealed a statement titled “1,000 Asian Journalists’ Signatures in Support of Korea’s Democratic Recovery.”

In the statement, the AJA noted, “Korea, which overcame Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War to achieve industrialization, democratization, and modernization, has long been a model nation in Asia. However, the recent political turmoil has brought great disappointment.” The association further emphasized, “We hope Korea will swiftly overcome this crisis and emerge even stronger, continuing to play a leading role as Asia’s foremost nation.”

The statement also highlighted Korea’s growing global influence, saying, “Last December, Korean writer Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature, filling Asians with pride. In recent years, Korea has captured the world’s attention not only through cultural and sports achievements but also in the semiconductor and medical industries, coining globally recognized ‘K-’ terms. We urge Korea to overcome this crisis promptly and take an active role in solving regional issues while contributing to global peace.”

The AJA specifically called on South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties to prioritize national unity over political interests, stating, “Both sides must recognize their shared fate and work together. Communication and integration are essential to overcoming division and conflict.” The association outlined six key points in its statement, urging Korea’s leadership and people to navigate through the crisis and emerge stronger.

Following the press conference, the AJA announced that more than 30 member countries will continue to monitor Korea’s democratic progress while gathering additional signatures in solidarity.

Since mid-February, the AJA has been collecting signatures from local journalists in over 30 Asian countries, following consultations with its Executive Board and leadership. The participating countries include Cambodia (AJA’s presidency nation), South Korea, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Taiwan, Nepal, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Qatar, and Laos.

The full statement issued by AJA:

The members of the Asia Journalist Association (AJA) issue the following statement regarding the recent martial law and impeachment crisis in South Korea. Through this statement, the AJA expresses its sincere hope that the turmoil in South Korea will be resolved swiftly and that the nation will continue to serve as a role model for its Asian neighbors with its advanced democracy and outstanding leadership.

Since its founding in November 2004, the AJA has consistently played a pivotal role in the advancement of journalism by reporting and shedding light on events in Asia from an Asian perspective, always upholding the principles of human rights and global peace.

From this perspective, the recent events in South Korea have been both unexpected and deeply disappointing. In response, we have gathered the collective will of our members to adopt this statement and deliver it to Korean society. Furthermore, the AJA will continue to monitor the restoration of democracy in South Korea, while supporting and urging progress through ongoing solidarity signatures from journalists across member nations.

South Korea endured 35 years of colonial rule in the early 20th century, followed by the devastating three-year Korean War. Despite these challenges, South Korea, as foreseen by India’s great poet Rabindranath Tagore, has emerged as the “Lamp of the East” and stood as a model country in Asia by simultaneously achieving industrialization, democratization, and modernization over the past half a century.

We recognize that South Korea’s remarkable growth and development have been driven by exceptional political and economic leadership, as well as the diligence, cooperation, self-reliance, and strong educational aspirations of its people. These qualities are well known to us through our ongoing engagement with information about South Korea.

Last Decemer, Korean writer Han Kang was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, instilling great pride among Asians. In recent years, South Korea has garnered global attention not only in culture and sports, but also in the semiconductor and medical fields, establishing the “K-” brand across various domains.

As members of the AJA, we hope that South Korea will overcome its current difficulties as soon as possible and emerge stronger, continuing its crucial leadership role as the preeminent nation of Asia.

Therefore, we present the following six requests:

South Korea should leverage its historical and proven resilience to successfully navigate the crisis of martial law and impeachment, further spreading “K-democracy” throughout Asia and the world.

As the Korean proverb says, “the ground hardens after the rain,” we view this crisis as growing pains and a test of maturity for democracy in Korea. We hope that the nation will swiftly overcome these pains through unity.

The ruling party and the major opposition party in South Korea must recognize their shared destiny, exercise mutual concessions, and adopt a perspective of empathy. Division leads to regression, while unity fosters progress. We firmly believe that the Korean people will once again demonstrate their dynamism and strong solidarity in times of crisis.

South Korea should swiftly resolve this crisis and solidify its position as a true leader in Asia, actively contributing to problem-solving among its neighboring countries and promoting global peace.

We support South Korea in transforming its current divisions and conflicts into a more inclusive and communicative “Korean-style democracy,” based on tolerance and coexistence.

As journalists from across Asia, we express deep empathy and strong encouragement for Korean media as they strive to uphold truth and fairness in their reporting, despite various challenges.

With this statement, journalists from AJA member countries, along with non-Asian journalists who have been directly or indirectly involved with AJA, stand together in solidarity.