The Blank Ad Controversy: A Comparison between 1974 and 2025
Recently, South Korean history instructor Jeon Han-gil strongly criticized the "blank ad" controversy surrounding Sky Daily, a news outlet. In a video on his YouTube channel, he showcased an empty advertisement section of the newspaper and drew a comparison to the 1974 Dong-A Ilbo blank ad incident. Jeon Han-gil argued that this current situation was indicative of the resurgence of authoritarianism in South Korea.
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Jeon Han-gil further claimed that the Democratic Party of Korea had coerced Sky Daily's advertisers into withdrawing their ads, suggesting that such actions reflected the disturbing reality unfolding in the country today.
Sky Daily had recently been reporting on election fraud allegations, and as a result, its advertisers withdrew their ads, likely due to pressure. In response, the newspaper published a "blank ad" as a form of protest.
Jeon Han-gil characterized the situation as a form of media suppression, emphasizing the crisis facing South Korea's democracy. He also expressed criticism regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-youl.
For further details, you can view Jeon Han-gil's full video here:
Jeon Han-gil YouTube Video
The 1974 Dong-A Ilbo Blank Ad Incident
1. Background of the Event
The year 1974 was during the presidency of Park Chung-hee, who had strengthened his authoritarian regime after the establishment of the Yushin Constitution in 1972. Park's government imposed emergency measures (Emergency Measures 1-9), significantly restricting political activities and press freedoms.
During this time, Dong-A Ilbo and Dong-A Broadcasting System (DBS) maintained a critical stance toward the government, especially Dong-A Ilbo, which continued to cover pro-democracy movements. This led to increased tensions with the regime.
2. Government Pressures and the Blank Ad
In October 1974, Dong-A Ilbo published the "Declaration of Free Press," criticizing Emergency Measure 7. In retaliation, the government mobilized police and the Central Intelligence Agency (now National Intelligence Service) to pressure the newspaper’s advertisers to withdraw their ads.
As a result, from December 1974 to March 1975, Dong-A Ilbo’s pages were left devoid of commercial advertisements. In the empty ad spaces, "blank ads" appeared — plain white ad sections without any content.
3. Public Support and Protests
As the government's pressure mounted, students, religious groups, artists, and ordinary citizens began submitting their own advertisements in support of free press and Dong-A Ilbo. However, the government prohibited these ads, and as a result, many ad sections were left blank.
One famous example was a blank ad that read: "Citizens who love Dong-A Ilbo." This blank ad became a powerful symbol of resistance to government oppression and a stand for press freedom.
4. The Outcome and Impact
By March 17, 1975, Dong-A Ilbo succumbed to government pressure and fired 113 journalists who had led the "Declaration of Free Press." This became the largest mass dismissal in South Korean media history.
The fired journalists later led the "Free Press Movement," and many of them played crucial roles in the democratization movement of the 1980s.
This incident remains an iconic moment in the history of South Korean press freedom and continues to be referenced whenever media suppression is discussed.
Summary
The blank ad was a form of resistance against government pressure on the media.
The journalists who were dismissed became leaders in the Free Press Movement and later contributed to the democratization of South Korea.
To this day, the 1974 Dong-A Ilbo blank ad incident is frequently cited in discussions about media oppression.
The comparison between the Sky Daily blank ad controversy of 2025 and the Dong-A Ilbo incident of 1974 underscores concerns about media freedom and the dangers of government control over the press.