South Korea

the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), with a score of 64.06—classified as “problematic” but far from the “very serious” crises in neighbors like Myanmar or Pakistan. No journalists were killed in South Korea in 2025 or 2026 due to their work, per RSF, CPJ, and IFJ data, with zero recorded murders or major physical attacks tied to reporting.

Physical violence is rare; instead, threats stem from online harassment (affecting ~30% of journalists per Korea Press Foundation surveys), malicious lawsuits (SLAPPs), defamation charges (criminal penalties persist despite truth defenses), and political pressure. The brief 2024 martial law declaration under ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly censored media and targeted critics, sparking fears. In 2025, a controversial “anti-fake news” bill drew backlash for potential censorship, while a January 2025 court riot by Yoon supporters injured police and attacked journalists covering the scene.

Government raids, regulatory intimidation, and polarization erode trust, but systemic impunity for violence remains low compared to global hotspots. South Korea’s media pluralism endures amid these challenges