NYT 정부 비판 광고 - 미주 한인단체 분열

Published : May 12, 2014 - 18:16 Updated : May 12, 2014 - 20:34

미국에 거주하는 동포들이 '세월호 참사'와 관련해 11일(현지시간) 미국 일간지 뉴욕타임스에 실은 전면광고를 두고 한인단체가 비판 성명을 내는 등 동포사회에서도 논란을 빚고 있다.

미국 내 일부 한인의 모금을 통해 실린 '진실을 밝히라'라는 제목의 이 의견광고는 일요일자 19면 전체에 실렸다. '300명 이상이 여객선에 갇혀 있었지만 단 한 명도 구조되지 못했다'라는 부제 아래 한국 정부가 적절한 비상대응책을 취하는 데 실패했으며, 관련 부처 간 협력도 이뤄지지 않았다는 등의 내용을 담았다.

이를 접한 재유럽한인회총연합회(유럽총연·회장 박종범)는 12일 긴급성명을 발표해 "이번 참사를 정치적으로 악용하거나 어떤 불순한 의도로 국론을 분열시키는 행위를 단호히 배격한다"고 주장했다.

유럽총연은 안타까움과 조의를 표시한 뒤 "일부 재미동포들이 뉴욕타임스에 대한민국 정부를 비판하고 여론을 호도하는 광고를 낸 것에 대해서는 깊은 우려를 하지 않을 수 없다"면서 "고국의 비극적 참사를 정치적으로 악용하고 국론을 분열시킬 우려가 있는 행위는 어떤 명분으로도 용납할 수 없으며 누구에게도 도움이 되지 않는 처사"라고 비판했다.

이어 "이번 광고는 1988년 서울올림픽, 1997년 외환위기 등 고국의 크고 작은 일이 있을 때마다 자발적으로 헌신해온 재외동포들의 노력을 헛되이 하는 것이자 순수한 마음을 훼손하는 것으로 도저히 묵과할 수 없다"고 밝혔다.

미국 50개 주와 각 도시의 150여 개 한인회를 아우르는 미주한인회총연합회(미주총연·회장 이정순)도 반박 성명을 내기로 했다.

이 회장은 "선(先) 실종자 구조, 후(後) 대책 마련"이라고 전제한 뒤 "일부 종북세력의 아무런 근거 없는 고국 정부에 대한 비판, 국가적 비극을 악용하는 행위"라고 잘라 말했다.

그는 "지금은 실종자와 희생자 가족, 그리고 실의에 빠져 있는 대한민국 국민이 힘과 용기를 낼 수 있도록 700만 재외동포가 한마음 한 뜻으로 성원해야 할 때이며, 아직 바닷속에 있는 실종자를 한 사람이라도 더 구해낼 수 있도록 전 세계 각지에서 간절한 여망을 담아 보내야 할 때"라고 역설했다.

미주총연은 금명간 뉴욕타임스 광고에 대한 견해를 성명을 통해 동포신문에 밝힐 계획이다. 아프리카·중동한인회총연합회(아중동연합·회장 임도재)도 성명을 발표할 예정이다. (연합)

미국에 거주하는 한국 교민들이 11일(현지시간) '세월호 참사'와 관련해 미국 일간지 뉴욕타임스에 "진실을 밝히라"는 제목으로 낸 정부 비판 광고

<관련 영문 기사>

Korean-Americans blast Park for failed Sewol rescue operation

A group of Korean-Americans on Sunday placed a full-page advertisement in The New York Times, publicly condemning the Park Geun-hye government over the ferry disaster and claiming that the media was being controlled to conceal the truth behind the failed rescue operation.

In the ad, titled “Bring the Truth to Light,” they said that “not one was rescued” because of South Korean government’s “incompetence and negligence” and its inadequate emergency protocol and improper communication between agencies.

“The bungled rescue efforts demonstrated a lack of leadership, incompetence, and negligence of the Park administration,” it said.

The advertisement was proposed and carried out by a group of Koreans in Los Angeles, according to reports. They have raised more than $160,000 from about 4,000 people through an online site. Organizers spent $5,800 to place the NYT ad and are reportedly planning to run similar ads with other mainstream media outlets in the U.S. Reports also said they would hold a rally in East Coast cities in the U.S. to commemorate the Sewol victims and to protest against the Park government.

Korean-Americans hold a rally to protest against the South Korean government for its mishandling of the rescue operation of the sunken ferry Sewol in front of CNN headquarters in Atlanta on Sunday. (Yonhap)

Koreans have been placing ads in the NYT in recent years to draw international attention to politically sensitive issues, such as the dispute over the Dokdo islets, and to promote the country’s cultural heritage. The Sewol ad was the first case of Korean-Americans expressing anger against the Park administration.

They said in the ad that Koreans were outraged by President Park, but said that the criticism was being “silenced by the government censorship of South Korea’s mainstream media.”

It also claimed that Park’s encounter with a woman at the memorial altar on April 29 was “staged” by the media, adding that the woman was later found to have no connection to the victims’ families.

Controversy has been escalating here over Park’s suspicious meeting with the woman. Both Cheong Wa Dae and the woman, however, denied the allegation that the meeting was prearranged.

“We demand an immediate end to the South Korean government’s control of the media, censorship of the truth, manipulation of public opinion and suppression of the public’s freedom of speech,” it said.

“Park’s behavior is reverting the country back toward South Korea’s authoritarian past. Koreans are outraged because they see democracy regressing,” it added.

The ad, however, was met with criticism from other overseas Koreans in and out of the U.S.

The Association of Korean Residents In Europe on Monday expressed regrets over the NYT ad, saying it is “unpardonable if the project was aimed at politicizing the tragedy and dividing the public.”

“We cannot help but express concerns over some Korean-Americans placing an ad in The New York Times that denounced the Korean government and misled the public,“ the association said in its statement.
Lee Chong-soon, head of the Federation of Korean Associations in U.S. also said she would release a statement soon to refute claims carried out on the ad.

The NYT ads came at the critical time when Park and her government are facing mounting public criticism. Disputes have been escalating here over her first apology carried out in the middle of a Cabinet meeting on April 29. Victims’ families protested against the president, saying her apology was reluctant and informal. The media also criticized the South Korean leader not holding herself responsible. The main opposition party also accused her of lacking sincerity.

Amid growing controversies, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday that the president will deliver an address this week to apologize for the Sewol ferry disaster. She will also announce her master plan to enhance national safety and put an end to corrupt practices between officials and businesses, presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said.

The plan came after the president convened an emergency meeting with presidential secretaries on Sunday morning. The meeting was organized to discuss follow-up measures to the disaster, Min said.

The president is also expected to officially hold herself responsible for the disaster. Park’s previous apologies sparked public outrage because she attributed faults that led to the disaster to officials in charge of safety and maritime affairs, without acknowledging her responsibility as the leader of the country.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)