Bishkek, Sept. 14, 2020 / Kabar /. The World Journalists Conference 2020, organized by the Journalists Association of Korea, has started this year online amid COVID-19 pandemic.
During three days about 100 journalists from 60 countries will discuss the spread of fake news and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the strategy for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Opening the conference, President of the Journalists Association of Korea Kim Dong-hoon, said the conference is becoming one of the significant events for journalists globally with each passing year as its expanded into a conference of mutual exchange and gave opportunities to discuss the future of journalism.
"Although we are only meeting online, I hope that you would all exchange opinions and recommendations so that we may all fulfill our calling as journalists as the conference provides us with precious opportunities to discuss major global issues," he stressed.
In addition, Prime Minister of Korea Chung Sye-kyun, in his congratulatory remark, said that the World Journalists Conference has been hailed as a shining example of public diplomacy, despite its relatively short history of eight years.
Chung stressed that fake news poses a real threat to human lives, citing a paper published in a prominent U.S. journal that claimed misinformation about COVID-19 has led to approximately 800 deaths and 5,800 hospitalizations.
"I believe this demonstrates how vital trustworthy information is. In this regard, allow me to extend my respect to all the journalists around the world joining in this worthwhile occasion," Chung said.
Regarding inter-Korean relations, the prime minister said the country's belief remains firm that permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula is a noble goal and mission that the two Koreas must achieve.
"In fact, the COVID-19 crisis has laid bare the reality that the two Koreas constitute not only a shared community of fates but a shared community of life in terms of public health," he said.
He expressed hope that this year’s event will serve as a venue of wisdom to reaffirm the importance of journalism and promote solidarity in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era.
On the first day of the conference, the participants discussed various countries' examples and countermeasures to fake news and the future of the journalism, more than 20 speakers shared the experiences in their countries.
The conference will run three days and end on Sept. 16.
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