Don’t be demoralised by Occupy failure – change gonna come, acclaimed Korean news anchor tells Hong Kong
Sohn Suk-hee, whose investigative reporting led to the impeachment and prosecution of former president Park Geun-hye, urges democracy activists to persevere
Hongkongers should not be demoralised by the failure of the 2014 “umbrella movement” but continue to fight for democracy, according to one of South Korea’s most acclaimed news anchors whose investigative reporting led to the downfall of the country’s former president Park Geun-hye.
Sohn Suk-hee, visiting the city to deliver a speech for the Hong Kong Journalists Association’s 50th anniversary, said on Friday that news media should always stand with civilians on the front line against state suppression.
“Changes among South Korean citizens in the aftermath of Park’s scandal are similar to what happened among Hongkongers in the umbrella movement – people began to understand that the real meaning of democracy lies in solving problems in our society together,” Sohn said.
His reporting team scooped a cronyism scandal that led to the impeachment and prosecution of Park last year on charges of abuse of power, bribery, coercion and leaking government secrets.
“We are lucky to have achieved some changes ... in South Korea. It seems that Hong Kong hasn’t harvested any special fruit, but remember, all of this is a process,” he said.
