The code of ethics and practice guidelines laid out by the Korea Press Ethics Commission and those adopted by the leading news media outlets explicitly state journalists’ responsibility to reflect the opposing voice when presenting an article that is critical of an individual or organisation, and to maintain impartiality in reporting. The guidelines also guarantee readers’ right of reply and right to demand correction to ensure balanced and fair reporting that embraces different voices.
In terms of actual practice of internal plurality, interviewees suggested that different views are often debated in the newsroom. However, the degree of plurality can be very arbitrary, especially in this polarised news media environment. In theory, they seek plurality, but in reality, they have to rely on available sources.
