Al Jazeera Beijing correspondent Melissa Chan



By Sunny Lee
Korea Times Correspondent

BEIJING ― One year ago, Beijing-based Al Jazeera reporter Melissa Chan had to pack her belongings at two hours notice, and fly to Seoul to interview the family members of the Korean hostages who had been kidnapped by the Taliban. Once in Korea, Chan became confused when she realized that she herself became the intense interest of the Korean media. Also, what she had originally thought a three-day assignment in Korea ended up extending into a month-long stay.

As Koreans reflect on the Afghan hostage crisis that happened one year go, Chan has also offered her own perspective to The Korea Times on her experience of covering the news in Seoul.

Korea Times: What was it like to be in Korea as an Al Jazeera reporter?

Chan: To be perfectly honest, I was confused. We showed up, and very quickly, quite a large number of Korean media was following us everywhere. I was also surprised that within the 24 hours of our arrival, we were able to secure interviews with two family members who had had their children held hostages in Afghanistan. I should have known then that, frankly, we were getting special access.

When the Korean government and the church were aware of our presence in Korea, it was obvious that they were far more willing to speak to us than any other media.

Some Korean people thought that Al Jazeera and Taliban were related. They thought we would know more about the hostage situation than others. Somehow, we were the closest thing that a lot of Korean media could get to the hostage story.

I think the families were allowed to speak to us because the authorities felt that their message could be conveyed to the hostage takers by Al Jazeera.

KT: Al Jazeera has a bureau in Kabul in Afghanistan. Does Al Jazeera really have access to Taliban?

Chan: Taliban have a sophisticated PR system. I think the Korean authorities realized this. These kidnappers really knew what they were doing in terms of moving the story and controlling the PR and getting what they want.

Our Kabul bureau could get in touch with Taliban's spokesperson. But we were careful. Sometimes the spokesperson says things that might not be true.

KT: So, did you feel that the Korean authorities, in a sense, were trying to use you? And you were, in turn, using their favor. Who's really using whom?

Chan: That's a very complicated question. When the families of the kidnapped victims talked to us, more people in Afghanistan would stand a chance of actually seeing what they had said. So, there was that element to it. The Korean authorities were using us as a conduit.

KT: Despite all the efforts of many people, two Korean hostages were killed. Where did it go wrong? There initially was some hope that maybe all of them would be freed intact.

Chan: So many players were involved: Americans, Korean diplomats on the ground, Afghan tribal leaders, and the hostage takers. I wouldn't be an authority to say where it went wrong. But it went wrong from the very beginning when these innocent people were taken as hostages. You were dealing with a group of people who were willing to kidnap people.

KT: This may be a loaded question, but how much responsibility, do you think, was on the part of the Korean Christians who went there? There has been a lot of controversy about it in Korea.

Chan: One thing I was struck with when I met the families of the victims was just how kind these people were. All they wanted was to help the people in Afghanistan. When I looked at the pictures of the hostages, many of them were young. So, the question is whether they really understood what they were getting themselves into.

KT: The pastor of the church, where all these hostages were from said "Afghanistan isn't over."

Chan: Based on my judgment, the Korean media covered the incident very heavily, including the killing of the two hostages. So, I think everyone is aware of the severity of the situation. At this point, if you still find volunteers who are willing to go there, it really is their own decision. Isn't it? I would assume that everyone is an adult who can think things through.

KT: What was your impression on the Korean media based on your encounter with them?

Chan: I was struck by how aggressive, in a good way, the Korean press was. It's particularly refreshing for me as a journalist, stationed in Beijing. Within this past week, for example, I was arrested by the police, but in the same week, I also shook hands with President Hu Jintao.

One thing a Korean told me when I was there was that Koreans love to criticize themselves. They are very hard on themselves.

KT: What is Al Jazeera trying to achieve? Some people call it the CNN in the Arab world.

Chan: Al Jazeera's mission statement is "to cover the world that has been forgotten."
For example, we cover Africa and Latin America a lot.

Prior to Al Jazeera, Chan worked for CNN and ABC News. She studied history at Yale University and political science from London School of Economics.

boston.sunny@gmail.com

Originally Posted by AZN_North Chan: Based on my judgment, the Korean media covered the incident very heavily, including the killing of the two hostages. So, I think everyone is aware of the severity of the situation. At this point, if you still find volunteers who are willing to go there, it really is their own decision. Isn't it? I would assume that everyone is an adult who can think things through.