Chojoongdong is a pejorative term which refers to three highly circulated conservative newspapers in South Korea. The word is an acronym of the Chosun, Joong-ang and Dong-a Ilbo newspapers, and the grouping is seen as forming the basis of South Korea's conservative media. The term was used by Hankyoreh editor Jung Yeonju as early as October 2000. Korean liberals criticize Chojoongdong primarily because of their conservative-biased editorial stances and doing business in a collusive and surreptitious manner. Since 2008, some critics of CJD have claimed that there is a close relationship between CJD and the Lee Myung-bak government. As of 2010, the market share of Chosun, Joong-ang and Dong-a Ilbo is 24.3%, 21.8%, and 18.3%, respectively. Nearly 58% of printed newspaper subscribers in South Korea read one of the three daily news. In December 2011, Chosun Ilbo opened their own cable news network.
Criticisms
Opponents of the three major newspapers credit them with a disproportionate degree of influence and power, to the extent that they believe that simply abolishing them would unleash major positive changes. Although the major newspapers are private organisations, and are competitors with each other, they are nevertheless considered by their opponents to be a monolithic, quasi-governmental organization. Criticism stems from their previous history of collaboration with Japan in the Japanese occupation of 1910–1945., as well as their collaboration with domestic authoritarian rule before the democratic transition in 1987.
Censorship
Some critics say CJD newspapers have conservative tendencies of censoring news unfavorable to the conservative Lee Myung-bak government. Jung Woon-hyun accused the three newspapers of censoring WikiLeaks-related articles that is alleged to have exposed negative issues under President Lee Myung-bak's administrative influence. It has also broadcast the court decisions that acquitted MBC's PD Note and its episode on 2008 Beef protests, but agreed that false information was in the episode.
Accusation of strategic marriages
Opponents believe that CJD have joined with the business world through strategic marriages, making their articles biased towards capital.
The CJD newspapers were noted to be active agents in the promotion of the English language in South Korea.
Anti-CJD movements
"Anti-CJD sentiment" has existed in the past. However, in 2008, during the mad cow protests over US beef imports that were feared to cause variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, the major newspapers showed a favourable attitude towards market opening and reported negatively on the candle lit demonstrations. This opposition temporarily stimulated a boycott movement. Protesters attacked and vandalised the buildings of the three major newspapers, and CJD newspapers claim that some of their employees were harassed.
Boycott movement
During the mad cow protests, Internet activists launched a movement to boycott advertisers who put advertisements in those newspapers. They shared a list of advertisers on the Internet, and then pressured advertisers by launching a harassment campaign via telephone or mail. On February 19, 2009, the court found guilty some activists who organised and ran the boycott, sentencing them to 10 months in jail or fines. The defendants have indicated that they will launch an appeal.
