The Dong-a Ilbo facts for kids
 |
|
First issue on 1 April 1920
|
|
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Dong-a Ilbo, Co. |
| Publisher | Kim Jae-Ho (CEA) |
| Founded | 1 April 1920 |
| Political alignment | Right-wing Conservatism Historical (1920 – 1975): Liberalism |
| Country | South Korea |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Dong-a Ilbo |
| McCune–Reischauer | Tong-a Ilbo |
The Dong-a Ilbo (Hangul: 동아일보) is a major Korean-language newspaper in South Korea. It's like a "newspaper of record," meaning it's a very important and trusted source of news. It started in 1920. This newspaper has played a big role in Korean society and history. This was especially true during the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945). Back then, it strongly supported the Korean independence movement.
The Dong-a Ilbo is part of a larger group called Dong-a Media Group (DAMG). This group includes 11 other companies. Some of these are Sports Dong-a, Dong-a Science, and the TV channel Channel A. Channel A started in 2011 and covers news, dramas, entertainment, and sports.
The Dong-a Ilbo also works with big international news companies. These include The New York Times from the United States and The Asahi Shimbun from Japan. It has reporters in many cities around the world. These include Washington D.C., New York, Beijing, and Tokyo. The newspaper also prints special global editions in 90 cities worldwide.
Contents
The Story of The Dong-a Ilbo
How Korean Newspapers Began
Many early modern Korean newspapers started during the Korean Empire period. But at the same time, Japan was taking more control over Korea. Japan often forced Korean newspapers to close. By 1910, when Korea officially became a Japanese colony, only a few newspapers were left. One of these was the Korean-language Maeil Sinbo. This paper was actually run by the Japanese colonial government.
At first, the Japanese government heavily controlled what Korean newspapers could print. They also limited freedom of speech. By 1915, the last Korean-owned newspaper, Gyeongnam Ilbo, was forced to close. This left Maeil Sinbo as the only Korean-language newspaper allowed.
In 1919, the March 1st Movement protests surprised Japan. The government stopped the protests with force. Then, they started to change their rules to prevent more unrest. They announced that a few Korean-owned newspapers could open. The Chosun Ilbo (started in March 1920) and The Dong-a Ilbo were among the first approved.
The Newspaper's Start
A journalist named Kim Seong-su helped create The Dong-a Ilbo. He later became the Vice President of South Korea. The newspaper published its first issue on April 1, 1920. It started with four pages per issue. Over time, it grew to publish more pages. In 1925, it even became the first Korean newspaper to print two issues a day.
The Dong-a Ilbo quickly became very popular. By 1928, it had more readers than other major Korean newspapers.
Fighting for Independence
During the Japanese colonial period, The Dong-a Ilbo spoke up for Koreans' rights. It also supported the Korean independence movement. Just two weeks after it started, the paper was briefly stopped for reporting on protests. In September 1920, it was suspended again for an article about the Imperial Regalia of Japan.
In November 1920, a reporter for The Dong-a Ilbo, Chang Dŏk-chun, was killed by Japanese soldiers. He was investigating a massacre of Koreans in Manchuria. He was the first Korean reporter to die while reporting.
In 1924, the newspaper published an article that angered some pro-Japanese Koreans. These people even threatened the paper's president with a gun. News of this made Koreans across the country very angry.
The newspaper faced more suspensions for its pro-independence stance. For example, in 1926, it was suspended for publishing a speech about the March 1st Movement. In 1930, it was suspended again for reprinting a letter supporting Korean independence.
More Control and Forced Closure
When the Second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937, the Japanese government tightened its control over Korea. They censored and pressured The Dong-a Ilbo. For instance, they ordered the paper to remove the Hibiscus syriacus flower (a symbol of Korea) from its logo.
In 1940, the colonial government forced many newspapers to close. This was part of a policy called "One Province, One Company." Both The Dong-a Ilbo and The Chosun Ilbo were forced to shut down on August 10. This left Maeil Sinbo as the only major Korean-language newspaper. Much of the printing equipment was taken by the Japanese.
After Korea's Freedom
On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered, and Korea became free. It took some time for The Dong-a Ilbo to get its printing equipment back. The United States helped set up a government in South Korea. They allowed more freedom for Korean newspapers.
After five years and four months, The Dong-a Ilbo started printing again on December 1, 1945. However, Korea was divided politically. The Dong-a Ilbo supported the right-leaning side.
The Korean War Years
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950. The Dong-a Ilbo published one issue, then stopped as Seoul was captured. When Seoul was freed, the paper started again. But it had to stop and restart several times during the war. It even moved its operations to Busan, the temporary capital.
The paper was critical of the government at the time. This led to it being suspended again in 1955. But the suspension was lifted a month later.
After the War
In April 1960, the April Revolution protests happened. These protests were against the government and for democracy. In December, the newspaper published an article that angered protestors.
The next year, Park Chung Hee took power in a military coup. His government limited what newspapers could print. The Dong-a Ilbo was allowed to print a certain number of pages each week.
By the 1970s, The Dong-a Ilbo was seen as a top place to work. This was partly because of its history in the independence movement.
In the 1970s, The Dong-a Ilbo fought for more press freedom. This was called the "Fight for Press Freedom." In October 1974, the government censored one of their issues. In protest, The Dong-a Ilbo demanded more press freedom.
The government then pressured companies to stop advertising in The Dong-a Ilbo. This led to the "blank advertisement incident" in December 1974. For months, many issues of the paper had no advertisements. The newspaper was forced to fire journalists who criticized the government. Many staff members protested these firings. This led to a difficult time for the paper. After this, The Dong-a Ilbo became more conservative.
Important Moments in Time
- 1920-09-25: First suspension for an article critical of Japan.
- 1926-03-06: Second suspension for celebrating the March 1st Movement.
- 1930-04-16: Third suspension for supporting Korea's situation.
- 1931-03-21: Held Korea's first marathon race.
- 1936-08-29: Fourth suspension for removing the Japanese flag from a photo of an Olympic medalist.
- 1940-08-10: Forced to close by the Japanese government.
- 1945-12-01: Dong-a Ilbo re-opens after Korea's liberation.
- 1961-03-15: Articles criticized election results, leading to the April Revolution.
- 1963-03-17: Published newspaper without editorials to protest military rule.
- 1963-04-25: Opened Dong-a Broadcasting Station, becoming the first company with both print and broadcast media.
- 1964-07-15: Started Children's Dong-a.
- 1974-10-24: Announced the Free Press Declaration.
- 1974-12-20: Published blank advertisements to protest government pressure.
- 1987-01-16: Reported on the torture and death of Park Jong-chul. This helped start the June Democratic Struggle for democracy.
- 1993-04-01: Changed from an evening to a morning newspaper.
- 1996-10-01: Began its internet news service, DongA.com.
- 1996-12-19: Ilmin Museum of Art opened in the old newspaper building.
- 2000-12-15: Newspaper museum "Presseum" opened.
- 2001-07-01: World edition of the paper printed in over 90 cities.
- 2002-01-01: Started mobile services for news.
- 2005-08-17: Began printing 32 pages of Dong-a Ilbo in color.
Supporting Women's Rights
In 1933, Dong-a Ilbo launched The New Women magazine. This magazine later became Dong-a Women. It organized events like cooking schools and picnics for wives. These events gave women a chance to socialize outside their homes.
The magazine also published articles that encouraged women to participate more in society. Topics included "The New Woman and Education" and "Women and Career." Dong-a Ilbo also hosted sports events for women. The "Women’s National Tennis Competition" is Korea's oldest tennis contest.
Awards and Special Recognition
- Received Korea's Best Brand Award (2006).
- Its president received the Press Freedom Golden Pen award (1975).
- Awarded for its efforts in freedom of speech by US Freedom House (1974).
- Staff reporters received the Korea Reporter's Award (1971).
About the Company
Who Reads The Dong-a Ilbo?
- It has a circulation of over 52 million copies.
- About half of its readers are between 30 and 40 years old.
- More than half of its readers live in big cities.
- 55% of its readers have a university education or higher.
Working with Other Countries
Dong-a Ilbo works with famous news companies like The New York Times and Reuters. They share articles and videos. Dong-a Ilbo also prints special editions in 90 cities worldwide. It has offices and reporters in many countries. The digital version of the paper is available in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
- Partnerships include:
- The Times (UK)
- Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
- People's Daily (China)
Publishing Books and Magazines
Dong-a Ilbo also publishes magazines and books. It has four monthly magazines, two weekly magazines, and one yearly magazine. Its book section translates and publishes popular books from other countries. It also creates its own successful Korean books.
- Magazines:
- Shin Dong-a (Current events)
- Women's Dong-a (Women's magazine)
- Dong-a Science (Science for everyone)
- Dong-a Science KIDS
- Books:
- Interpreter of Maladies (a Pulitzer Prize-winning book)
- A Walk in the Woods (an international bestseller)
- Sponge series (Korean books that sold over a million copies)
New Ways to Get News
Dong-a Ilbo uses technology to share news. It created DongA.com, its online version, which has more content. It also offers mobile services so readers can get news on their phones. With its partnership with Reuters, Dong-a provides news through text, images, and videos.
Helping the Community
Dong-a Ilbo believes it has a duty to help the public. It has a special department that promotes arts and sports. This department also encourages healthy lifestyles. The company also has foundations and scholarships to help students who need support.
Supporting Arts
Dong-a Ilbo hosts annual competitions and cultural exhibitions.
- International Music Concours
- Dong-a Theatre Awards
- DongA-LG International Animations Competition
Promoting Sports
Dong-a Ilbo hosts yearly sports competitions. It started these programs to help less popular sports.
- Seoul International Marathon
- High School Baseball Tournament
- Dong-a Swim Meet
Boosting Education
Dong-a holds annual competitions for bright students. Dong-a Science also has its own educational programs and competitions.
- National English Competition (for university and high school students)
- National Scientific Essay Contest (hosted by DongA Science)
Charity Work
Dong-a Ilbo has created foundations and scholarships for students and children. It also has a foundation that promotes peace and culture.
- Dong-a Dream Tree's Foundation: Provides scholarships.
- Inchon Foundation: A scholarship foundation.
- 21st Century Peace Foundation: Works for peace between North and South Korea.
See also
- Presseum
- Ilmin Museum of Art
- List of newspapers in South Korea
- Communications in South Korea
- Channel A (Korea)
