(Minghui.org) July 20, 2023 marks the 24th year the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has persecuted Falun Dafa. Two of South Korea’s largest media outlets, The Chosun Ilbo and The Dong-a Ilbo, both published special edition reports in August about Falun Dafa that received much public attention.
The Chosun Ilbo is South Korea’s oldest and largest newspaper with a daily circulation of more than one million copies. The Dong-a Ilbo is the second largest paid newspaper with a daily circulation of around 700,000 copies.
The Chosun Ilbo reported on the Chinese embassy’s multiple attempts to stop Shen Yun performances each year in South Korea. The following are examples of how the Chinese embassy attempted to interfere:
The Assistant Ambassador of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Busan requested the local government representative in Daegu to cancel the theater’s contract with local organizers, but was unsuccessful.
A theater’s manager in Busan received a written letter to nullify existing theater agreements with Shen Yun. The manager rejected what he called the Chinese embassy’s unreasonable requests, and the Shen Yun performances went ahead.
The Chinese embassy forced Seoul’s KBS Hall to cancel Shen Yun shows. The Seoul Southern District Court then supported the cancellation of Shen Yun performances.
Dong-A Ilbo’s August online edition about Falun Dafa.
Dong-A Ilbo published an interview with Falun Dafa’s founder titled, “Falun Dafa Special” in June 1999, a month before the CCP’s persecution began in China.
Twenty-four years later in August 2023, Dong-A Ilbo published another report titled, “Falun Dafa: Well-Received Yet Subjected to Persecution.” The article objectively reported on Falun Dafa’s major events and gave a detailed account of the initial spread of the practice in China, the history of the practice’s introduction in South Korea, the peaceful gathering of thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners in China for the April 25 Peaceful Appeal in 1999, and the forced live organ harvesting which targets Falun Dafa practitioners. Through interviews with practitioners, the report also talked about the physical and mental health benefits of practicing Falun Dafa.
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