Yesterday, about 20 media personnel of the Gyeonggido Local Newspapers Association visited the Marianas Variety office and met with publisher Abed E. Younis and president Laila Y. Boyer.
During the MV’s early years, Younis said it was “hard” to fill three pages with local news reports.
The Variety was established in March 1972.
“No matter how old and established we are, we are constantly reinventing the newspaper,” Boyer told the Koreans.
The visitors said newspapers in South Korea are facing stiff competition from the broadcast media, but a new law has been passed for newspaper companies to invest in satellite broadcasting.
In an interview, the association president Bu Ja Kim said he was impressed with how the Marianas Variety continues to serve the community despite the economic hardship facing the CNMI.
“Communication is a very powerful tool in the community. The media help inform the public and correct wrongdoing in the government,” he said.
The group then made a courtesy visit at the Saipan mayor’s office. The visitors asked Mayor Donald G. Flores if he feels he has been treated unfairly by the media.
The mayor said his office has a good working relationship with the local media, particularly with information dissemination concerning his community programs.
“Don’t ever make a media mad,” he said in jest.
With the group were P&A Corp. president Kim Hong Kyun and manager Joo Ho Joon, who also manage the Saipan Times-Korean Media of Saipan.
Walter Yu of Saipan Times said they accommodated the visiting group because “it would be a great opportunity to promote Saipan and the CNMI to Korea.”
In his message to the group, Kim Hong Kyun said “in these challenging times, your visit is a great encouragement to us. We are aware how powerful mass media could be. I hope your visit will benefit us.”
In response, Bu Ja Kim said: “We are grateful for the accommodations we received during our visit on Saipan. We truly believe this place is a paradise and is located very near us. We will promote and remember the CNMI.”
Yu said the group visited Saipan as part of its annual event to learn from and observe the media in other countries.
The visit was a sort of a workshop for members who are all newspaper publishers.
Last year the group visited Japan.
“After a visit, there will be an article about it in their newspapers which have a combined readership of 12 million in Gyeonggi province, South Korea,” Yu said.
The visitors were Bu Ja Kim of Kim Po Newspaper; Tae Yoon Park of Kun Po Media; Lee Young Ho of E-Jun Newspaper; Sook Ja Kim of Kwachun 4 Top Media; Myung Hee Kang of Ahn San Newspaper; Tae Wook Kim of Namyang Ju Media and Newspaper; In Taek Joen of Hanam Kwang Ju Newspaper; Tae Hong Oh of Hwa Sung Newspaper; Won Sub Yang of Yeo Joo Newspaper; Kang Jung Cheon of Bucheon Newspaper; Won Sub Yang of Yeo Joo Newspaper; Seon Kwan Kin of Ahn Yang Newspaper; Kang Jung Cheon of Bucheon Newspaper; Jae Kwan Ahn of Ha Gwang Newspaper; Kyu Min Lee of Bucheon Local Newspaper; Kang San Lee of South North Korea Newspaper; and Byoung Ok Min of Kwa Chun Cultural Newspaper.
Also in the group were publishers Young Hwa Kim and Soon Ho Kwon; Young Hwa Kim of Ahn Yang Gwang Yeok Newspaper; Hyuna Joon Lim of Kyeonggi Newspaper who is also the association secretariat; Young Sook Jung of Kumpo City Newspaper; and In Jo Lee of Nam Hyang Newspaper.
Yu said the group arrived here on Friday and will be leaving today.
