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The Chosun Ilbo

The Chosun Ilbo (Korean: 조선일보; lit. 'Chosun Daily') is a South Korean daily newspaper founded on March 5, 1920, under Japanese colonial rule, establishing it as the nation's oldest continuously published modern daily.^[1]^[2] With a daily circulation exceeding 1.8 million copies, it ranks as one of South Korea's largest newspapers and part of the influential "big three" alongside the JoongAng Ilbo and DongA Ilbo, exerting significant sway over public opinion, particularly among business leaders and professionals.^[3]^[4] The publication maintains a conservative editorial stance, characterized by hardline opposition to North Korea and advocacy for robust national security measures, which has positioned it as a counterweight to more progressive media outlets in shaping discourse on inter-Korean relations and domestic policy.^[5]^[6] Founded to amplify Korean voices amid colonial suppression, it has endured historical controversies, including accommodations to Japanese authorities in the late 1930s, while achieving milestones such as comprehensive digital archiving of its century-long archive and sustained leadership in readership metrics despite digital disruptions.^[1]^[7] Its influence extends through Chosun.com, offering multilingual content, though it has drawn criticism for perceived alignment with conservative governments and selective reporting on scandals involving progressive figures.^[8]^[9]

History

Founding and Colonial Era (1920–1945)

The Chosun Ilbo was established on March 5, 1920, as the first privately owned daily newspaper in Korea, emerging in the aftermath of the March 1 Independence Movement against Japanese colonial rule.^[4]^[1] Its founding reflected efforts to foster national enlightenment and preserve Korean identity amid intensifying Japanese assimilation policies.^[4] The newspaper quickly positioned itself as a voice for Korean cultural and political aspirations, publishing in the Korean language at a time when Japanese authorities sought to suppress native media.^[4] From its inception, the Chosun Ilbo encountered severe censorship and suppression by Japanese authorities. It faced its first seizure on April 28, 1920, for an article critiquing a royal marriage, followed by suspensions on August 27 and September 5, 1920, due to editorials condemning police violence against protesters.^[4] Further indefinite suspensions occurred in 1925 for inciting public discontent and in 1928, lasting 133 days, after which editorial writer Ahn Jae-hong was imprisoned.^[4] Despite these pressures, the newspaper advanced independence causes, launching a 1927 campaign for a national independence organization and distributing 100,000 Hangeul textbooks in 1935 to combat illiteracy and promote Korean language use.^[4] In the 1930s, repression escalated with policies aimed at eradicating Korean cultural elements, including a March 25, 1936, suppression for an editorial highlighting educational discrimination against Koreans.^[4] By 1940, amid Japan's wartime mobilization, the Chosun Ilbo was forced to cease operations on August 10, after Japanese censors had removed 471 news stories in prior years.^[4]^[10] This closure aligned with broader efforts to consolidate media control, shutting down major Korean-owned newspapers like the Dong-A Ilbo to expedite imperial war efforts and eliminate dissenting voices.^[10] The publication remained dormant until after liberation in 1945.^[4]

Post-Liberation and Korean War Period (1945–1960)

Following Japan's surrender and Korea's liberation on August 15, 1945, The Chosun Ilbo resumed publication in November 1945 after a forced closure in 1940 amid escalating wartime suppression under colonial rule.^[11] The newspaper reorganized its operations under the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK), which governed southern Korea from September 1945 to August 1948, and quickly reestablished itself as Seoul's leading daily with a conservative editorial stance critical of occupation policies that delayed Korean self-governance.^[12] Circulation grew amid political fragmentation between right-wing nationalists and left-wing groups, though internal tensions arose, including disputes with left-leaning reporters who sought greater influence in the post-colonial press landscape. The Chosun Ilbo advocated for Korean unity and supported figures like Kim Ku, the exiled nationalist leader who opposed USAMGIK's tolerance of Soviet influence in the north and pushed for a unified government ahead of the 1948 division. Following the establishment of the Republic of Korea on August 15, 1948, with Syngman Rhee as president, the paper aligned with anti-communist policies, publishing editorials emphasizing national reconstruction and vigilance against northern infiltration, including reports on border skirmishes and internal security threats.^[13] By 1949, after Kim Ku's assassination by a right-wing agent amid factional violence, The Chosun Ilbo maintained its role as a major conservative outlet, with daily print runs exceeding tens of thousands amid economic hardship and US aid dependency.^[12] The outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, severely disrupted operations when North Korean forces captured Seoul by June 28, forcing evacuation southward; the newspaper likely continued limited publishing from Busan, the temporary capital, alongside other major dailies, focusing on war reporting, refugee crises, and UN intervention.^[14] Seoul's recapture after the Incheon landing on September 15, 1950, enabled full resumption, with The Chosun Ilbo documenting frontline advances, civilian hardships—including over one million North Korean civilian deaths and mass displacements—and the armistice negotiations culminating on July 27, 1953.^[14] Post-armistice, through the late 1950s, the paper covered reconstruction under Rhee's authoritarian rule, including land reforms and economic stabilization efforts backed by $2 billion in US aid by 1960, while critiquing corruption and electoral manipulations that foreshadowed the April Revolution.^[15] By 1960, its influence solidified as South Korea's premier conservative voice, with verified circulation audited in the hundreds of thousands despite press restrictions.^[16]

Expansion and Authoritarian Era (1960s–1980s)

Following Park Chung-hee's May 16, 1961 military coup, which established an authoritarian regime focused on rapid industrialization and anti-communist policies, The Chosun Ilbo navigated tightening media controls while maintaining its position as a leading conservative outlet. The newspaper published reports on the coup in its evening edition on May 16 and morning edition the next day, operating amid an atmosphere of censorship that suppressed dissenting voices.^[17] The regime's Basic Press Law of 1964 centralized oversight, merging news agencies and limiting independent reporting, yet The Chosun Ilbo's alignment with the government's economic developmentalism and staunch anti-North Korea stance—rooted in its historical nationalist origins—allowed it to receive preferential treatment, including access to official narratives that bolstered its credibility among pro-regime audiences.^[18] This favoritism was exemplified by President Park's nickname for publisher Bang Il-yong as "President by Night," reflecting the paper's influential role in shaping public support for Park's policies during South Korea's export-led growth, which expanded the literate middle class and newspaper readership overall.^[18] By the Yushin era (1972–1979), after Park's constitutional revisions granting indefinite rule, media suppression intensified through emergency decrees that arrested dissidents and censored coverage of protests, such as the 1974 axe murder incident at Panmunjom, which The Chosun Ilbo reported but within regime-approved bounds.^[19] Internal resistance emerged, with journalists protesting suppressed anti-government articles, leading to the dismissal of 18 reporters in 1975 amid government pressure via advertising boycotts and surveillance—tactics that forced compliance while enabling The Chosun Ilbo to sustain operations as the regime's de facto mouthpiece on economic achievements, despite purges that sidelined critical voices.^[20] Under Chun Doo-hwan's 1979–1988 regime, following Park's assassination and the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, controls peaked with the purge of over 700 journalists nationwide, including more than 70 from The Chosun Ilbo, many of whom formed underground networks opposing dictatorship.^[21] The paper adhered to blackouts on Gwangju, framing protesters as armed agitators per government directives, which preserved its dominance but eroded trust among democratization advocates.^[22] Circulation grew in tandem with urbanization and rising GDP—from modest post-war levels to millions by the late 1980s for major dailies including The Chosun Ilbo—fueled by increased advertising from chaebols and a page limit expansion from 16 to 50 sheets in 1980, though self-censorship on political dissent limited investigative depth until mounting 1987 protests signaled regime weakening.^[23]

Democratization and Post-Cold War Developments (1990s–Present)

With the consolidation of democratic institutions in South Korea after the 1987 constitutional amendments, The Chosun Ilbo navigated an era of enhanced press freedom in the 1990s, free from the prior authoritarian controls on content and ownership. Circulation audits began in 1993 under the newly established Audit Bureau of Circulations, reflecting the newspaper's sustained dominance amid growing media pluralism. The 1997 Asian financial crisis strained the industry through advertising slumps and chaebol restructurings, yet Chosun Ilbo adapted by maintaining investigative reporting on economic reforms and political scandals, such as the influence-peddling cases involving President Kim Young-sam's family in 1997.^[24] Post-Cold War geopolitical shifts, including the Soviet collapse in 1991 and subsequent North Korean economic woes, prompted Chosun Ilbo to scrutinize inter-Korean policies through a security-focused lens, often critiquing perceived naivety in engagement strategies during Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy from 1998. This stance drew progressive backlash, culminating in the Anti-Chosun Movement (1998–2002), where activists and intellectuals accused the paper of perpetuating conservative biases and historical misrepresentations, such as downplaying the 1980 Gwangju Uprising's democratic significance. Legal victories bolstered its operations; in 2007, the Constitutional Court invalidated Newspaper Law provisions capping cross-media ownership at 25%, enabling future expansions for Chosun Ilbo alongside Dong-A Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo.^[25]^[26] Into the 2000s and 2010s, Chosun Ilbo advanced technologically, launching an internet news division with real-time breaking coverage on March 26, 2003, and debuting Korea's first full-color newspaper edition (36 pages) on October 8, 2003. Broadcasting deregulation facilitated the 2011 launch of TV Chosun, a general programming channel, expanding reach amid digital convergence. By 2010, it held a 24.3% market share among national dailies, underscoring resilience despite online disruptions and ideological critiques from left-leaning outlets alleging elite conservatism over populist reforms.^[27]^[28]

Organizational Structure

Ownership and Governance

The Chosun Ilbo is published by Chosun Ilbo Co., Ltd., a private entity under the Chosun Media Group, which maintains family ownership primarily held by descendants of the Bang family.^[28]^[29] This structure reflects a common model among South Korea's major newspapers, where controlling stakes are concentrated in family hands rather than dispersed among public shareholders, enabling direct familial influence over strategic decisions.^[28] Governance is led by family members in top roles, with Bang Sang-hoon appointed as chairman and Bang Jun-oh as president on March 4, 2024.^[27] Bang Sang-hoon, a key figure in the fifth generation of leadership, oversees the board and executive functions, continuing a lineage where predecessors like Bang Woo-young (former chairman, died 2016) and Bang Il-young (former president, died 2003) shaped the company's direction.^[30]^[31] The board composition remains opaque due to the private status, but family control ensures alignment with long-term preservation of the publication's operations and editorial independence from external investors.^[29] This familial governance model has persisted since the Bang family's consolidation of control post-Korean independence, prioritizing generational succession over diversified corporate input.^[28] No public disclosures indicate significant non-family ownership or institutional investor involvement as of 2025, distinguishing it from state-influenced or publicly listed media entities.^[29]

Subsidiaries and Media Affiliates

The Chosun Media Group, encompassing The Chosun Ilbo, maintains a network of subsidiaries and affiliates specializing in digital media, broadcasting, business reporting, sports, publishing, education, and health content.^[32] Digital Chosun, established in October 1995, serves as a key subsidiary handling online operations, including the Chosun.com portal, which delivers news in multiple languages such as English, Chinese, and Japanese, alongside educational platforms.^[32] This entity expanded into multimedia services, supporting the group's transition to digital formats.^[32] TV Chosun, launched on December 1, 2011, operates as a major broadcasting affiliate in a consortium led by The Chosun Ilbo, which holds a 20% stake; the channel focuses on comprehensive programming with an emphasis on rapid and fair news reporting.^[32] Chosun Biz, founded on May 10, 2010, functions as a dedicated business news brand, providing specialized economic and industry coverage across print and digital platforms.^[32] Sports Chosun delivers daily sports and entertainment journalism, positioning itself as a leading outlet in that domain.^[32] Publishing affiliates include Chosun News Press, formed in January 2010 from earlier magazines like Monthly Chosun and Weekly Chosun, which produce in-depth analyses on current affairs and lifestyle topics.^[32] Niche subsidiaries such as CS M&E, established in July 2007, concentrate on educational and cultural content production, while Health Chosun, started in December 2005, publishes medical and wellness materials, including books and articles.^[32] These entities collectively extend the group's reach beyond traditional print into diversified media ecosystems.^[33]

Editorial Stance and Coverage

Political Orientation and Ideology

The Chosun Ilbo maintains a conservative political orientation, characterized by a right-center bias in news reporting and a nationalist conservative stance in its editorials.^[29] This positioning aligns it with South Korea's traditional conservative values, including strong anti-communism, advocacy for robust national defense, and support for free-market policies.^[34] As one of the "big three" conservative dailies—alongside JoongAng Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo—it has historically endorsed conservative political parties, such as the People Power Party, particularly during elections and policy debates favoring alliance with the United States and economic liberalization.^[34]^[35] Its ideology emphasizes historical nationalism rooted in the Joseon Dynasty legacy, from which it derives its name, promoting cultural preservation and skepticism toward progressive reforms perceived as eroding traditional institutions.^[36] The newspaper's editorial line consistently opposes North Korean policies, framing them as existential threats, and critiques left-leaning administrations for alleged appeasement or ideological concessions.^[29] This hardline approach extends to domestic issues, where it prioritizes law and order, fiscal conservatism, and resistance to expansive welfare expansions, often attributing societal challenges to progressive governance failures.^[37] Critics from liberal outlets, such as Hankyoreh, accuse the Chosun Ilbo of systemic bias favoring vested conservative interests, including chaebol conglomerates and ruling party proximity during conservative presidencies like those of Park Geun-hye (2013–2017) and Yoon Suk-yeol (2022–present).^[34] However, empirical analyses of coverage patterns confirm a partisan tilt, with favorable framing of conservative candidates and policies in over 11,000 articles reviewed during events like the COVID-19 pandemic, where conservative media like Chosun Ilbo emphasized government accountability under liberal rule while supportive under conservatives.^[38] Despite such alignments, the outlet maintains journalistic standards, with high factual reporting ratings, distinguishing its conservatism from outright propaganda.^[29]

Positions on Major Issues

The Chosun Ilbo maintains a hawkish position on North Korea, prioritizing denuclearization and skepticism toward Pyongyang's military claims. In editorials, it has questioned North Korea's assertions of hypersonic missile capabilities, highlighting persistent threats to South Korean and U.S. assets while urging verification through allied intelligence. The newspaper opposes diplomatic overtures that could normalize North Korea's nuclear status, as evidenced by its criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's October 2025 description of Pyongyang as a "nuclear power," arguing such rhetoric undermines long-standing denuclearization goals and endangers the Korean Peninsula's stability.^[39]^[40] On inter-Korean relations, Chosun Ilbo rejects progressive proposals like the "two-state theory" or coexistence with a nuclear-armed North, deeming them reckless deviations from constitutional principles of unification under a free system. It has critiqued government shifts toward reviving inter-Korean cooperation units while downplaying human rights abuses, favoring policies that maintain pressure on Pyongyang amid severed ties and heightened hostilities.^[41]^[42] The newspaper staunchly supports bolstering the U.S.-South Korea alliance as a cornerstone of national security, advocating modernization to counter North Korean threats and regional shifts. Editorials urge Seoul to negotiate expanded mutual interests with Washington, including under potential Trump administration demands, while decrying domestic anti-American sentiments that question the partnership's reciprocity. It warns against isolationist U.S. tendencies but emphasizes alliance resilience over self-reliance factions that could weaken deterrence.^[43]^[44]^[45] In economic policy, Chosun Ilbo pushes for market-oriented reforms, including labor flexibility to combat youth unemployment exacerbated by rigid regulations and union influence. It attributes job scarcity to political resistance against deregulation, favoring incentives for hiring over automation driven by high costs, and calls for proactive measures against AI-induced disruptions. On fiscal matters, the publication demands urgent pension and inheritance tax overhauls to avert insolvency, criticizing delays amid partisan gridlock.^[46]^[47]^[48] Regarding territorial sovereignty, Chosun Ilbo has lambasted legislative inaction on China's construction of structures in the Yellow Sea, interpreting it as an infringement on South Korean claims and calling for assertive diplomatic responses to preserve maritime rights.^[49]

Operations and Reach

Publishing Format and Circulation

The Chosun Ilbo is issued as a daily print newspaper in broadsheet format, featuring core sections on general news, economic trends via The Chosun Economy, education through Edu Chosun, health, and lifestyle content in The Friday, alongside weekend editions with in-depth analysis in The Why? and business focus in Weekly BIZ.^[50]^[51] Supplements and specialized inserts, such as science or child-oriented editions, have been offered periodically, though some like the early morning print run were discontinued in 2005 and revived digitally.^[52] Complementing its print operations, the newspaper provides digital formats including full PDF replicas available online, a dedicated news portal at Chosun.com with multilingual content in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese, and mobile applications for early digital editions.^[53]^[8] As South Korea's highest-circulation daily, The Chosun Ilbo reports approximately 1.51 million copies sold per day, primarily targeting educated professionals and opinion leaders, with annual audits confirming its leading position since tracking began in 1989 for household penetration.^[50]^[54] In 2017, verified paid circulation stood at 1,254,297 copies, reflecting its sustained dominance over competitors like the Dong-A Ilbo.^[55] Print volumes have historically peaked above 2 million during expansion phases but align with broader industry declines amid digital shifts.^[5]

Digital Transformation and Global Outreach

The Chosun Ilbo launched its online service in July 1995, one of the earliest efforts among South Korean newspapers to establish a digital presence ahead of widespread internet adoption. This initiative allowed for real-time news dissemination, supplementing its print operations and adapting to emerging digital reading habits. By the 2010s, the newspaper expanded into mobile platforms, developing apps that deliver content optimized for smartphones, with a major revamp coinciding with its 103rd anniversary in 2023 to enhance user experience and speed.^[56] In recent years, the Chosun Ilbo has integrated artificial intelligence into its newsroom operations to streamline production and content creation. It developed an in-house generative AI-based news-writing assistant for drafting and editing articles, as reported in industry analyses.^[57] Further advancements include proprietary AI tools for editing, translating, and supporting multilingual output, alongside partnerships such as with Upstage AI for enhanced journalism workflows launched in February 2025.^[58]^[59] These efforts reflect a strategic pivot toward AI-driven efficiency amid South Korea's broader media digitalization, though implementation remains focused on augmentation rather than full automation. For global outreach, the Chosun Ilbo maintains The Chosun Daily, an English-language platform offering translated selections from its Korean content, covering national, international, and North Korea-specific news to reach non-Korean speakers.^[60] Launched to provide in-depth analysis and commentary, it emphasizes unbiased reporting on Korean affairs for an international audience. In October 2025, the newspaper introduced Chosun Membership, a subscription service granting unlimited digital access to eight affiliated publications, including AI-assisted English translations and lifestyle content tailored for global users, priced at varying tiers for domestic and overseas subscribers.^[61] This model facilitates broader international engagement by bundling premium digital editions and apps, positioning the Chosun Ilbo as a key source for Korea-focused English news amid competition from global wire services.^[62]

Controversies and Criticisms

Allegations of Conservative Bias and Government Proximity

The Chosun Ilbo has been accused by progressive critics and liberal-leaning media of displaying a conservative bias in its reporting and editorials, often prioritizing nationalist and right-wing perspectives over balanced coverage. Independent assessments, such as those from Media Bias/Fact Check, classify the newspaper as having a right-center bias in news reporting combined with a strong right-leaning nationalist conservative editorial stance, evidenced by selective emphasis on issues like security threats from North Korea and criticism of progressive policies.^[29] Academic content analyses further substantiate partisan differences, revealing that Chosun Ilbo's framing of events, including the COVID-19 response under liberal administrations, tends to highlight government shortcomings in a manner aligned with conservative critiques, differing markedly from liberal outlets like Hankyoreh.^[38] These allegations portray the bias as systemic, rooted in the newspaper's historical alignment with establishment conservatism rather than objective journalism. Critics specifically allege proximity to conservative governments, claiming Chosun Ilbo provides unduly favorable coverage during right-wing presidencies, fostering a symbiotic relationship that shields ruling powers from scrutiny. This view frames the newspaper as part of the "Chojoongdong" triad (Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, DongA Ilbo), accused of colluding with conservative regimes through softened critiques and amplified policy defenses, particularly under Lee Myung-bak (2008–2013) and early Park Geun-hye (2013–2017) administrations.^[34] Such claims intensified during liberal governments, like Kim Dae-jung's (1998–2003), when conservative media faced audits and protests for alleged past pro-establishment leanings under authoritarian predecessors, though Chosun Ilbo countered these as politically motivated suppression.^[6] These allegations, largely advanced by left-leaning sources with their own ideological incentives, overlook instances where Chosun Ilbo has diverged from conservative leaders, such as its role in exposing scandals leading to Park Geun-hye's 2016–2017 impeachment and recent critiques of Yoon Suk-yeol's 2024 martial law declaration.^[63] Empirical studies of media-government alliances indicate that while conservative outlets like Chosun Ilbo exhibit ideological affinity with right-wing rule—resulting in relatively muted opposition compared to their vigor under liberal rule—this pattern reflects partisan media dynamics common in polarized systems rather than outright subservience.^[34] Nonetheless, the persistence of these claims underscores broader distrust among progressives, who view the newspaper's ownership ties to chaebol interests as reinforcing elite conservatism.^[38]

The Anti-Chosun Movement (1998–2002)

The Anti-Chosun Movement emerged in the late 1990s as a progressive campaign primarily targeting The Chosun Ilbo for its perceived conservative bias, historical revisionism, and undue influence in post-authoritarian South Korea. It gained momentum following the October 26, 1998, publication in The Chosun Ilbo of articles criticizing Korea University professor Choi Jang-jip's views on the Korean War, portraying them as sympathetic to North Korea and ideologically extreme.^[26]^[64] Choi, a policy adviser to President Kim Dae-jung, faced accusations of distorting historical events like the Jeju Uprising and the Gwangju Democratization Movement, prompting widespread backlash from intellectuals, students, and online activists who viewed the coverage as an attack on democratic reforms.^[65] This incident, combined with Choi's successful libel suit against Monthly Chosun (an affiliate publication) for 500 million won in damages, galvanized critics who argued that The Chosun Ilbo perpetuated authoritarian-era narratives and resisted transitional justice efforts.^[66]^[66] The movement's goals centered on curbing The Chosun Ilbo's media dominance, exposing its alleged pro-Japanese collaboration during the colonial period, and advocating for broader press reforms to align with South Korea's democratization. Activists, including journalist Kang Chun-man, mobilized through cyberspace platforms like Urimodu.com, framing the newspaper as an obstacle to historical reckoning over figures like Syngman Rhee and events tied to Korea's "history wars."^[26]^[67] Protests and boycotts intensified after the June 2000 inter-Korean summit, with critics linking The Chosun Ilbo's skepticism toward Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy to anti-progressive agendas. On September 21, 2000, the Federation of Citizens Opposing Chosun Ilbo (ACF) was formally established, coordinating nationwide actions to highlight the newspaper's ownership ties to conservative elites and its resistance to public accountability.^[26]^[68] Development accelerated during the lead-up to the 2002 presidential election, where the movement aligned with supporters of candidate Roh Moo-hyun, including his online fan club Nosamo, using digital forums to amplify calls for media pluralism. Key actions included full-page anti-Chosun advertisements in rival outlets and public denunciations of the newspaper's coverage as ideologically driven rather than journalistic.^[26] Opponents, such as the pro-Chosun group Joase, countered by defending the paper's editorial independence against what they termed leftist censorship. The campaign culminated in a national assembly on November 17, 2002, in Seoul, where thousands rallied to condemn The Chosun Ilbo, though it waned post-election amid Roh's victory and shifting political priorities.^[26]^[68] While achieving limited immediate reforms, the movement underscored tensions between progressive activism and established media in South Korea's evolving democracy, with The Chosun Ilbo maintaining its circulation despite the scrutiny.^[67]

Responses to Criticisms and Internal Reforms

In response to allegations of conservative bias and proximity to government during conservative administrations, Chosun Ilbo executives have maintained that such criticisms stem from ideological opposition rather than substantive errors in reporting, often framing them as efforts by progressive forces to undermine independent journalism. During the anti-Chosun movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s, which involved public boycotts and protests against the newspaper's perceived pro-establishment stance, the outlet's editor-in-chief described related government tax investigations as "nonsense" and politically driven attempts to target conservative media.^[69] This defensive posture emphasized the newspaper's commitment to national interests and empirical scrutiny over acquiescence to activist demands for ideological realignment. Chosun Ilbo has occasionally acknowledged specific reporting flaws through corrections or retractions, as required by journalistic standards, but has not implemented broad internal reforms to alter its editorial orientation in direct response to bias critiques. For example, amid broader media scrutiny in the 2000s, the newspaper faced internal debates on coverage balance, yet leadership prioritized reinforcing fact-based analysis aligned with its longstanding emphasis on anti-communism and economic conservatism, without shifting core stances on issues like North Korea policy or historical narratives.^[70] Critics from progressive outlets and academics have argued this lack of introspection perpetuates systemic slant, though the newspaper counters that demands for "reform" often mask pushes for left-leaning conformity, citing empirical data on public trust metrics where conservative readers affirm its reliability. No major structural overhauls, such as diversified editorial boards or bias-auditing mechanisms, have been publicly documented as outcomes of these controversies, with the outlet instead investing in digital expansion and legal defenses against defamation suits arising from boycott-related activism. This resilience is attributed by supporters to causal factors like reader loyalty—evidenced by sustained circulation above 1.5 million daily copies into the 2010s—contrasting with declining trust polls influenced by progressive-leaning surveys.^[71] Internal efforts have focused on enhancing verification processes for contentious stories, such as those involving political scandals, to mitigate false reporting claims, though these predate widespread digital-era criticisms and align more with general industry standards than targeted self-correction.

Influence and Legacy

Impact on South Korean Public Discourse

The Chosun Ilbo exerts considerable influence on South Korean public discourse as the nation's oldest and most widely circulated conservative newspaper, consistently ranking first in subscriber numbers among dailies as of 2020.^[72] Its editorial emphasis on anticommunism, economic deregulation, and robust national defense has historically framed debates on security threats from North Korea and foreign policy alignments, often setting the agenda for conservative viewpoints in opposition to progressive narratives.^[73] ^[74] This agenda-setting role is evident in coverage of inter-Korean summits in 2000, 2007, and 2018, where corpus-assisted discourse analysis showed the newspaper prioritizing risk assessments and historical grievances over reconciliation optimism.^[75] In political reporting, the Chosun Ilbo contributes to polarized discussions by amplifying critiques of liberal administrations, such as during protests and elections, where its framing aligns with ruling conservative interests and highlights perceived governmental failures in areas like law enforcement and fiscal policy.^[76] ^[34] Comparative studies of its articles alongside progressive Hankyoreh reveal detectable ideological orientations through linguistic patterns, with Chosun Ilbo articles embedding conservative priors on topics like China relations from 2016 to 2019, influencing reader interpretations toward sovereignty and alliance priorities with the United States.^[37] ^[77] During the COVID-19 pandemic, its selective emphasis on accountability for policy missteps under progressive leadership further entrenched partisan divides in public opinion.^[38] The newspaper's proximity to conservative power structures has amplified its sway in sustaining anticommunist mentalities post-Korean War, countering left-leaning academic and media biases by promoting evidence-based scrutiny of engagement policies.^[74] ^[70] Since its founding in 1920 under Japanese occupation, it has voiced public sentiments on sovereignty, evolving into a platform that shapes elite and mass debates on democratization and economic reforms, though often criticized for sensationalism in protest coverage.^[1] ^[76] This enduring role underscores its function as a bulwark for conservative realism in a fragmented media environment dominated by ideological silos.^[78]

Achievements, Awards, and Enduring Role

The Chosun Ilbo has achieved notable longevity as South Korea's oldest daily newspaper, founded on March 5, 1920, during the Japanese colonial period with the aim of voicing Korean public opinions. Over its century-plus history, key milestones include publishing its 30,000th issue on June 24, 2017; opening the Chosun Ilbo Newseum, a multimedia journalism experience center, on March 5, 2013; and establishing the UNIKOREA Foundation on May 26, 2015, to promote Korean unity. The newspaper introduced pioneering innovations such as Korea's first 36-page full-color edition on October 8, 2003, and an online breaking news system via its Internet News Sector on March 26, 2003, reflecting adaptations to technological advancements while maintaining print dominance. Its audited daily circulation has consistently exceeded one million copies, reaching 1,254,297 as of June 2016, positioning it as the sole Korean newspaper to achieve this scale. In recognition of journalistic excellence, The Chosun Ilbo received an honorable mention in the Asia Society's Osborn Elliott Prize for Journalism on May 24, 2010, for investigative reporting on North Korean refugees and human trafficking routes through China. Staff achievements further underscore quality, including a 2025 design award from the Korean Editors Association for an article visualizing Iran's nuclear airstrike developments. These honors highlight the paper's commitment to rigorous foreign affairs coverage amid regional tensions. The Chosun Ilbo endures as South Korea's preeminent newspaper of record, commanding influence through high credibility and readership among opinion leaders—48.6% of whom named it the representative paper in a 2017 survey. It leads competitors in providing in-depth analyses (preferred by 26.7% of elites) and practical information (27.4%), fostering informed public discourse on national security, economy, and politics from a conservative perspective grounded in empirical reporting. This role persists despite digital shifts, as evidenced by sustained advertising effectiveness and agenda-setting power in policy debates.^[79]

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60 Years of the Republic: The End of Syngman Rhee's Rule
Jul 7, 2008 · The next morning, the Chosun Ilbo reported the story under the title, "Seoul in the shadows of violence," the only newspaper to accompany its ...Missing: support | Show results with:support
[16]
Korean Studies Advanced Guide: News - guides
Sep 30, 2025 · The Chosun Ilbo is a leading daily newspaper in South Korea and the oldest daily newspaper in the country. With a daily circulation of more than ...<|separator|>
[17]
60 Years of the Republic: The Park Chung-hee Putsch
Jul 11, 2008 · Despite the overpowering atmosphere of censorship, the Chosun Ilbo's evening edition on May 16, 1961 and its morning edition the following day ...
[18]
Media and Democracy in Contemporary South Korea
"President by Night" is the infamous nickname Park Chung Hee once gave to Pang Il-yŏng, the head of Chosun ilbo, South Korea's largest daily newspaper.
[19]
60 Years of the Republic: Struggle Against the Yushin System
Sep 5, 2008 · The The Aug. 19, 1976 Chosun Ilbo edition reporting the axe murder in the ...
[20]
A TOP SEOUL PAPER DROPS 18 NEWSMEN - The New York Times
Mar 9, 1975 · In statements and resolutions, the Chosun Ilbo reporters charged that articles reporting on anti‐Government moves had been suppressed by their ...
[21]
[PDF] Journalism and Censorship During the Gwangju Pro-Democracy ...
May 3, 2020 · While the Chosun Ilbo was conservative and the Kyunghyang Sinmun was more liberal, it can be expected that the government would have had a ...
[22]
Gwangju Uprising | Facts, Massacre, & Dates - Britannica
Sep 13, 2025 · Gwangju Uprising, mass protest against the South Korean military government that took place in the southern city of Gwangju between May 18 and 27, 1980.
[23]
[PDF] The South Korean media consist of several different types of public ...
In 1989 South Korea's four largest dailies, Hankook Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, and. Donga Ilbo, had a combined circulation of more than 6.5 million.
[24]
South Korean Media Industry in the 1990s and the Economic Crisis
Aug 6, 2025 · This paper examines the changes in the Korean media industry with reference to the Korean economic crisis in the 1990s.
[25]
Freedom of the Press - South Korea (2007) - Refworld
May 2, 2007 · The three dailies, Chosun Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, and JoonAng Ilbo, had challenged the Newspaper Law, and the court determined by a vote of seven ...Missing: democratization | Show results with:democratization
[26]
The Anti-Chosun Movement: Journalism, Activism, Politics, and ...
The development of Anti-Chosun reveals the intertwinement of journalism, activism, and politics in post-authoritarian South Korea. Further, Anti-Chosun ...<|separator|>
[27]
History - The ChosunMedia
A multimedia experience center in Seoul. December 1,2011 Established “The TV Chosun,” a comprehensive programming channel.
[28]
[PDF] 27 Media Ownership and Concentration in South Korea
In 2010, three major newspapers, The Chosun Daily (24.3%), JoongAng Daily (21.8%), and The Dong-A Ilbo. (18.3%), accounted for 64.4% of total market shares.Missing: growth | Show results with:growth
[29]
The Chosun Ilbo - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
Jun 29, 2021 · Chosun Media Group owns The Chosun Ilbo, and Sang-Hoon Bang is President and CEO. They lack transparency as they do not name an editor. Read our ...
[30]
Former Chosun Ilbo chief Bang Woo-young dies at 88
May 8, 2016 · Bang Woo-young, former chairman of leading South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo died of chronic illnesses, his family said Sunday. He was 88 years old.
[31]
Former Chosun Ilbo Chairman Passes Away
Aug 8, 2003 · Bang Il-young, former Chosun Ilbo president, chairman and adviser, passed away of natural causes on Friday at 2:05 a.m. at Seoul National ...
[32]
Affiliates - The ChosunMedia
The Digital Chosun was founded in October 1995 as a new media affiliate of The Chosunilbo. The Digital Chosun realized its vision as a general media group ...
[33]
The Chosun Ilbo - Wikipedia
The Chosun Ilbo has historically taken a hardline stance against North Korea. For example, it opposed South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy ...History · Controversies
[34]
TV Chosun - Wikipedia
The Chosun Ilbo (20.0%) · Too Capital, LLC (15.0%) · Korean Air (9.68%) · Booyoung Group (5.50%) · Samhung (4.84%).
[35]
Greetings - The ChosunMedia - 조선일보
We have evolved into one of Korea's largest media groups, Chosun Media, encompassing a wide range of subsidiaries ranging from broadcast and new media to ...
[36]
Korean Media Often Allied With Ruling Political Parties
Aug 7, 2025 · Three major newspapers (Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Dong-A Ilbo) are conservative, while two minor newspapers (Hankyoreh Sinmun and ...
[37]
Major Korean News Outlets Explained
Jan 3, 2025 · Chosun Ilbo is one of the most widely read and influential daily newspapers in South Korea. Founded in 1920, it has a strong conservative stance.Chosun Ilbo: Korean Fox News · The Hankyoreh: MSNBC...
[38]
[PDF] A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF POLITICAL REPORTING IN SOUTH ...
3 In terms of the papers' political alignment, Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo are categorized as right-wing conservative papers, while Hankyoreh serves as the ...<|separator|>
[39]
Data-driven approaches into political orientation and news outlet ...
They focused on two prominent conservative and progressive media outlets in South Korea, namely Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh.
[40]
Framing the Pandemic: Partisan Media Bias in South Korea's COVID ...
Aug 31, 2025 · By Hoeun Lee. This study analyzes over 11000 articles from South Korean newspapers, revealing that partisan bias during the COVID-19 ...
[41]
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/10/19/22MLUNPB5BDRVOYQI32NZ7AGPY/
[42]
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/10/15/JQKIBEDBIZGTJAW6LK77EEA3LY/
[43]
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/10/21/SG2IMFSMJFALRH4K5PGDX52RTY/
[44]
Ministry of Unification Revives Inter-Korean Units, Abolishes Human ...
Oct 15, 2025 · Ministry of Unification Revives Inter-Korean Units, Abolishes Human Rights Office. Inter-Korean cooperation budget triples to 178.9 billion won; ...
[45]
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/10/21/XZA2TMQFFBB25DFYOZWRXDZBRU/
[46]
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/09/19/BH4KA32XBJDWFA3S6CC245NUVM/
[47]
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/08/20/7YRUTXQCA5A43LG4GCUTVN3VZ4/
[48]
Editorial: Political resistance to labor reform leaves young workers ...
Sep 19, 2025 · Rigid labor laws and political inaction worsen youth job crisis as firms prioritize automation over hiring. By The Chosunilbo.Missing: positions | Show results with:positions
[49]
Editorial: Action, not delay, is needed to face Korea's AI labor shock
Aug 20, 2025 · Editorial: Action, not delay, is needed to face Korea's AI labor shock. By The Chosunilbo. Published 2025.08.20. 09:02.Missing: issues | Show results with:issues
[50]
Editorial: Pension and inheritance tax reforms must be addressed ...
Mar 11, 2025 · Editorial: Pension and inheritance tax reforms must be addressed before political chaos deepens. By The Chosunilbo. Published 2025.03.11. 09:00.Missing: positions | Show results with:positions
[51]
Editorial: S. Korean lawmakers' silence on China's Yellow Sea ...
Jul 6, 2025 · Editorial: S. Korean lawmakers' silence on China's Yellow Sea structures raises sovereignty concerns. By The Chosunilbo.
[52]
The ChosunMedia
It has been exercising its power over public opinion as a notable newspaper with the largest circulation in Korea at 1.51 million. Target audiences of The ...Missing: figures | Show results with:figures
[53]
Chosun Ilbo | Newspaper Ranking & Review - 4imn.com
Chosun Ilbo ; Format ? Print and online ; Print size ? Broadsheet (600 mm by 380 mm) ; Cost ? Combined paid and free ; Circulation range ? +1,000,000 ; Political ...
[54]
조선일보 초판 - Apps on Google Play
Rating 4.5 (52) · Free · AndroidAug 1, 2025 · The Chosun Ilbo early edition is a service that revived the first edition of the Chosun Ilbo, which was discontinued in 2005, in digital format.Missing: publishing | Show results with:publishing
[55]
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition)
In e-format, however, the daily paper is available in an online PDF format at: pdf.chosun.com. 4. How do I place an advertisement on the Chosun Ilbo newspaper?Missing: publishing | Show results with:publishing
[56]
Daily News in English About Korea
Since 1989, when Korea Gallup began analyzing the newspaper industry in Korea, the Chosun Ilbo has retained the number one position in both household ...Missing: circulation figures
[57]
Dong-A Ilbo ranks 2nd for paid circulation of daily newspapers
The Chosun Ilbo ranked first with its paid circulation of 1,254,297, followed by the Dong-A Ilbo with 749,414 and the JoongAng Ilbo with 719,931. It has been 14 ...
[58]
조선일보 - Apps on Google Play
Rating 4.3 (8,037) · Free · Android- Membership-Exclusive Digital Newspaper and Magazine Service: Access eight digital magazines, including the Chosun Ilbo, Delicious Hanja, Monthly and Weekly ...Missing: circulation | Show results with:circulation
[59]
South Korea | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Jun 17, 2024 · Chosun Ilbo, a major daily, has developed a news-writing assistant ... TV Chosun News, 37%, 26%, 37%. YonhapNews TV, 51%, 29%, 20%. YTN, 56%, 27 ...
[60]
South Korea | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Jun 17, 2025 · For example, Chosun Ilbo has developed an in-house AI capable of editing and translating, while Hankook Ilbo launched its AI service 'H.AI.' ...
[61]
Newsroom - Upstage AI
Newsroom. Stay updated with the latest news, achievements, and insights ... Upstage Partners with Chosun Ilbo for AI-powered Journalism. February 3, 2025 ...<|separator|>
[62]
English News - The Chosun Daily
The Chosun Daily is the English edition of the Chosun Ilbo, the largest and most influential newspaper in South Korea. The Chosun Ilbo first hit newsstands ...
[63]
Chosun Ilbo Launches Membership with AI English, Career Tips
Oct 16, 2025 · New service offers diverse learning, lifestyle content including parenting tips, leadership advice, and global insights. By The Chosunilbo.Missing: outreach | Show results with:outreach
[64]
http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/Era_of_the_Netizen/PDF/Part_II_Netizen_Democracy_in_South_Korea.pdf
[65]
South Korea's conservative media battles irrelevance amid martial ...
Jan 13, 2025 · 3 martial law declaration, Yoon's approval rating plummeted to 11% in one poll. Even traditionally supportive outlets such as Chosun Ilbo, Dong- ...
[66]
[PDF] The Rise of Netizen Democracy A Case Study of Netizens' Impact on ...
What prompted the movement were the Chosun Ilbo November l998 articles taking issue with the ideological background of Prof. Choi Jang-jip of Korea University.
[67]
Seoul Backs Writer on Korean War - The New York Times
Nov 13, 1998 · Still pending is a final judgment in a damage suit in which Mr. Choi is suing Chosun Ilbo for 500 million won. The initial court decision marked ...
[68]
Attacks on the Press in 1998 - South Korea - Refworld
Choi Jang-Jip of Korea University, a close adviser to the president, successfully sued Monthly Chosun, a right-wing magazine, for libel when it accused him ...Missing: controversy | Show results with:controversy
[69]
The Anti-Chosun Movement: Journalism, Activism, Politics, and ...
This article reconstructs the origins and development of the so-called Anti-Chosun Movement, a (progressive) movement to curb the power and shed light on ...Missing: Ilbo | Show results with:Ilbo
[70]
https://www.keaf.org/en/book/EAF_Policy_Debates/The_Crisis_in_the_South_Korea_Press_What_Should_be_Done
[71]
South Korea 'Reformists' Assail Conservative Papers
Apr 20, 2001 · On the other hand, the executives and editors of the Big Three papers, Chosun Ilbo ... pro-government." "The government's intention is ...
[72]
The Crisis in the South Korea Press: What Should be Done?
The Dong-a Ilbo fired hundreds of journalists—reporters, producers and announcers—in a surrender to the Park Chung-hee regime's oppression of advertisements in ...
[73]
South Korea's Media Crisis - Asia Sentinel
Nov 5, 2019 · The “Anti Chosun Ilbo” started when President Roh Moo-hyun was in office. Citizens refused the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and Dong-a Ilbo ...
[74]
Starter Kit: South Korea's Media Landscape - The Blue Roof
Oct 27, 2022 · ... Chosun Ilbo, for example. Television is another major source of news dominated by the conservatives. Among the three major television news ...Missing: orientation | Show results with:orientation
[75]
The Internet, alternative public sphere and political dynamism
it The Chosun Ilbo is Korea's oldest and the most influential daily newspaper. At the same time, the newspaper is the most conservative. Since the ...
[76]
South Korean Conservatism Perpetuated by the Cho, Joong, Dong
Jan 14, 2021 · [1] Chosun Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo are the three most highly circulated newspapers in South Korea, all three of them conservative. As a ...Missing: editorial stance
[77]
Discourse construction of Inter-Korean summits in South Korean ...
This article represents a diachronic corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis of South Korean news reports on inter-Korean summits in 2000, 2007, and 2018.
[78]
A comparative analysis of conservative and liberal South Korean ...
A content analysis of 187 articles published in the conservative newspaper Chosun Ilbo and 228 stories from the liberal-leaning Hankyoreh was conducted to ...Missing: allegations | Show results with:allegations
[79]
Comparative Analysis of South Korean Newspapers with Different ...
May 27, 2025 · For instance, Yin Yue conducted a discourse analysis of China-related reports in Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh from 2016 to 2019, revealing that the ...<|separator|>
[80]
[PDF] Discursive conflicts in news media and the suspension of a ...
Two leading Korean newspapers of different political orientation—Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh—were selected. Chosun Ilbo is a con- servative daily, while Hankyoreh ...
[81]
Influence
The Chosunilbo is recognized as the most influential press in Korea. The only newspaper with one million circulation in Korea.Missing: enduring | Show results with:enduring