Stephen Dunbar-Johnson (right), international president of the New York Times Co., on Jan. 10 chats with staff at the daily's new office in Korea at the Standard Chartered Bank Building in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. The Times on the same day began operations of its Asian digital news team in Seoul after relocating it from Hong Kong. (Korea Joongang Daily)

By Kim Hayeon  

The British monthly Monocle calls Korea "Asia's next media hub."

In the 2022 edition of Monocle the Forecast, an annual publication that predicts what to expect in the coming year, the article "Korea Change" introduced Seoul as "a megacity with a population of about 10 million and the heart of a country that is home to more than 5,000 registered media outlets."

China's decision last year to enforce its national security law in Hong Kong, the article said, limited foreign journalists from collecting news there and spurred leading international media such as The New York Times and The Washington Post to launch global news offices in Seoul.

Having partially relocated its Hong Kong bureau to Seoul, The Times in January launched its new Asian digital hub in the capital and The Post in July started a global news station there with 10 people. The Post set up global news hubs in Seoul and London by establishing two breaking news bases outside the U.S. to strengthen its 24-hour news system.

Douglas Jehl, The Post's foreign editor, explained his company's decision to Monocol, saying, "Seoul was appealing because of its friendly environment to foreign businesses, its relative press freedom, and its talent base, with a big pool of well-trained, English-speaking journalists."    

Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) Director Park Jung-Youl also told the magazine, "We have the best press freedom in Asia," adding, "We believe that Seoul will naturally become the media hub of Asia with more foreign press coming here." 

"So we would like to help journalists actively," he said, emphasizing government-level assistance.

The Foreign Press Center of KOCIS is a government office offering support and service to foreign media based in Korea, as well as a space for international journalists to work and government ministries to brief global media.  

Launched in 2007 in London, Monocle covers business and lifestyle and has more than 24,000 subscribers worldwide.

The British monthly Monocle has called Korea "Asia's next media hub." Shown here is the cover of the 2022 edition of Monocle the Forecast. (Screen capture from Monocle's website)