Censorship in South Korea

Censorship in South Korea is limited by laws that provide for freedom of speech and the press which the government generally respects in practice. Under the National Security Law, the government may limit the expression of ideas that praise or incite the activities of antistate individuals or groups.

South Korea ranked 44th out of 179 on the 2011-2012 Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders (a lower ranking number indicates more press freedom).

South Korea has one of the freest media environments in Asia, however, since the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak in 2008 South Korea has experienced a noticeable decline in freedom of expression for both journalists and the general public. South Korea's status in the 2011 Freedom of the Press report from Freedom House declined from "Free" to "Partly Free" reflecting an increase in official censorship and government attempts to influence news and information content.

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