Kookmin Ilbo

Overview

The Kookmin Ilbo is a general-interest daily newspaper headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, that professes a Christian ethos. It was founded by Pastor David Yonggi Cho of Yoido Full Gospel Church, a congregation of the Korea Assemblies of God. While covering general news such as politics, the economy, and society, the paper also devotes significant space to church news. For this reason it is regarded as one of the most influential media outlets in Korean Protestantism. All of its shares are currently held by the Kookmin Cultural Foundation, an incorporated foundation.

Founding and History

• The company was established in 1987 as Baedal Shinmun Co., Ltd. On December 10, 1988, it changed its name to Kookmin Ilbo and published its first issue.
• The inaugural issue listed David Yonggi Cho, then senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, as chairman of the board. Leaders from various denominations also served on the board from the outset. The Kookmin Ilbo describes itself as having been, from its beginning, an interdenominational Christian daily not tied to any particular denomination.
• According to one interpretation of the paper's founding, after the Unification Church launched the Segye Ilbo, Cho concluded that a newspaper was needed to bring a Christian voice to the government and society.
• The paper's guiding creed, "Love, Truth, Humanity," was chosen by Cho himself. He also wrote the lyrics of the company song.
• The paper was originally published in the evening and reportedly became a morning newspaper in 1999.
• The Kookmin Ilbo states that with the launch of the Kookmin Cultural Foundation in 2006, it made a fresh start as a public-interest outlet serving Korean society and the church.

Major Activities

In addition to general news, the paper regularly carries news of denominations, interchurch organizations, and mission agencies. After its founding, various denominations and organizations sought to publicize their activities through the Kookmin Ilbo. Some observers therefore credit the paper with coming to serve as a news outlet for the Korean church as a whole rather than for a single congregation. In 2022, together with the Kookmin Cultural Foundation, it took part in an effort to acquire a stake in YTN.

Ownership Structure

The Kookmin Cultural Foundation was established with funds contributed by Kookmin Holdings Co., Ltd., the Full Gospel Mission, and David Yonggi Cho, and it holds 100 percent of the Kookmin Ilbo's shares. According to 2022 reports, Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, and Cho Min-je, chairman of the Kookmin Ilbo, serve as co-chairs of the foundation. Cho Min-je is David Yonggi Cho's second son.

Controversies and Assessments

• In 2011, amid criticism that he had "privatized the church," Cho announced that he would step down as chairman and publisher of the Kookmin Ilbo. The board of the Kookmin Cultural Foundation, however, declined to accept his resignation.
• The media-criticism outlet Media Today and others have argued that even after the foundation was established, the Kookmin Ilbo did not free itself from the influence of Cho's family and Yoido Full Gospel Church. When Cho died in 2021, the Kookmin Ilbo devoted eight pages to him and was criticized for presenting only his achievements while omitting the aspects of his career that had drawn criticism.
• In 2020, Media Today reported that mid-level reporters at the Kookmin Ilbo had issued a statement expressing remorse over controversy that the paper's coverage of sexual minorities promoted hatred. Discussion of this subject within the church is covered in the article Homosexuality and the Church.
• The Kookmin Ilbo points to Cho's statement that the newspaper belongs not to a single church but to the public. On this basis, it describes itself as aspiring to be a public-interest outlet serving society and the Korean church as a whole rather than any particular congregation.