There is an information access law which requires all public information to be made available when requested. Moreover, the Korean Journalists Survey 2019 shows that journalists enjoy a fairly high level of freedom in the reporting process in South Korea. In the 5-point scale to rate the reporting environment, easy access to information was rated 3.01, and provision of information upon request was rated 2.87 (see Figure 5).
Although legal provisions do not guarantee rights to request and access information, the scope of available information has drastically increased and may explain the relative satisfaction with the reporting environment. The ease of access via online databases and government data portals may also explain the ease of access to information.
