Media Outlet KOREA JOONGANG DAILY Date of first publication 15/01/2024 Date of Latest Change 15/01/2024

9. Accountability for Journalism Principles

9.1. Editorial Guidelines

A Media Outlet shall produce a set of Editorial Guidelines or adhere to an external set of guidelines (for example the Model Editorial Guidelines provided as a reference document to this Standard), to which its journalistic operations comply. They should govern meaningful principles of journalistic content, dissemination and conduct. These guidelines, and the identity of the person or group of persons with ultimate responsibility for them within its organisation, shall be made available to the public in a readily accessible and understandable form. Best practice is to have these guidelines available publicly rather than on request.

Does your Media Outlet have a set of guidelines, or adhere to an external set of guidelines, for journalistic content, distribution and conduct to which its journalistic operations comply?

Yes

Are they made available to the public in a readily accessible form?

Yes

What is the URL?

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/about/about.html

Is there a person or a group of persons responsible for these guidelines clearly identified?

Yes

Is that identification visible on the page with the guidelines?

Yes

9.2. Purpose of Guidelines

A Media Outlet shall ensure that these Editorial Guidelines set clear expectations of the behaviour it requires from its own staff, its contractors and from all other contributors to its editorial content. It should also set out the structure of responsibility within the organisation, making sure it is clear who is accountable for each stage of the process that leads to publication.

Do the guidelines referred to in the section on Editorial Guidelines set clear expectations for the behaviour for all the contributors, including editorial staff (journalists, editors) and all other contributors?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

The guidelines set out our expectations of the behavior of our staff, contractors and all others who contribute to editorial content. They cover three areas: general newsroom management and practice, basic editorial rules and conflicts of interest.

Do the guidelines referred to in the section on Editorial Guidelines make clear the structure of editorial responsibility for each stage of the publication process within the organisation?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

As a bilingual newsroom, the Korea JoongAng Daily has a slightly different structure due to the need for editorial expertise in terms of both content and language. Each department of the paper is run by a desk head or desk chief responsible for assigning stories and supporting and managing reporters, with a separate team of language editors responsible for English literacy and storytelling.

9.3. Guidelines and Journalism Principles

A Media Outlet shall ensure that these Editorial Guidelines embody the core ethical principles of journalism. The Editorial Guidelines may impose specific requirements in addition to these core ethical principles; but any additional requirements shall not compromise these core ethical principles as described in the Preamble of this document.

Do your Editorial Guidelines include requirements for Accuracy (as prescribed in the Preamble) in your output?

Yes

What is the URL?

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/about/about.html

Do they include requirements for Independence (as prescribed in the Preamble) of editorial decision making?

Yes

What is the URL?

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/about/about.html

Do they include requirements of Fairness (as prescribed in the Preamble) in the practice of journalism?

Yes

What is the URL?

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/about/about.html

Do they include requirements for Accountability (as prescribed in the Preamble) in the practice of its journalism?

Yes

What is the URL?

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/about/about.html

9.4. Conflicts of Interest

Editorial Guidelines shall ensure that there are no conflicts of interests – real, potential or perceived – damaging the integrity of the story or the editorial independence of those working on it. They should have guidance on how to deal with conflicts related to political, business and personal interests. Editorial structures should protect the journalism from any undue influence by the Media Outlet’s executive management or ownership authorities outside the formal editorial process and from any external interests, commercial, social or political.

Do your Editorial Guidelines include protections against real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

The Korea JoongAng Daily values our reputation for independence and integrity. Journalists clearly have lives, interests, hobbies, convictions and beliefs outside their work.
We aim to ensure that outside interests do not come into conflict with our journalism or compromise our editorial integrity.
The following guidelines concern all active outside interests which, should they remain undeclared and become known, would cause a fair-minded reader to question the independence of our editorial work.
We recognise that objectivity is not a one-size-fits-all rule. A columnist, for instance, with views openly on display, may have more latitude than a staff reporter, who would be expected to bring rigorous qualities of objectivity to their work. If in doubt, journalists should consult a member of management or the managing editor.

Do the guidelines include guidance on how to deal with conflicts related to business?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

The Korea JoongAng Daily is connected to other media companies within JoongAng Group. We should be careful to acknowledge that relationship in stories. Anyone writing a story concerning our related businesses should seek comments and/or confirmation in the normal way. Staff should familiarize themselves with the companies and interests we have.
At the end of this document we provide a summary of the areas and companies with which we have connection, either through ownership or in which it has an interest.

Do the guidelines include guidance on how to deal with conflicts related to political interests?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

Staff journalists have the right to activities outside work (including holding office or being otherwise actively involved in organizations, companies or political parties). However, these may sometimes be perceived as influencing or conflicting with the integrity of our journalism.
Staff should inform the managing editor about any outside personal, philosophical or financial interests that might conflict with their professional performance, or could be perceived as doing so.

Do the guidelines include guidance on how to deal with conflicts related to personal interests?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

Staff members should not write about, create film or take photographs or make news judgments about any relation or individual related by marriage or with whom the staff member has a close personal, financial or romantic relationship. A staff member who is placed in a circumstance in which the potential for this kind of conflict exists should advise his or her department head.

Does the Media Outlet’s structure protect the editorial processes from any undue influence from within or without?

Yes

If you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.

Note: Where a journalist or editor has concerns about the ethical implications of behavior or conduct in any aspect of editorial work, including issues raised in these guidelines, we should seek advice from the managing editor or senior management of the Korea JoongAng Daily. In certain cases, we may seek advice also from appropriate industry bodies or experts (e.g. a press council or external ombudsman).

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