Concern raised over SKorean treatment of Bloomberg reporter

SEOUL, South Korea – International journalists' organizations have expressed concern over South Korea's press freedoms after the country's ruling party singled out a Bloomberg reporter over what it claimed was a "borderline treacherous" article insulting President Moon Jae-in, resulting in threats to the reporter's safety.

The Democratic Party said Tuesday that it has no immediate plans to withdraw a March 13 statement by spokesman Lee Hae-sik, who attacked the reporter by name over a September article whose headline described Moon as acting as the "top spokesman" of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the U.N. General Assembly.

Moon's office has refused to answer multiple requests for comment. The Blue House responded sharply last week after a conservative lawmaker during a parliamentary speech borrowed the Bloomberg headline to criticize Moon's diplomacy with Pyongyang.