What strange set of circumstances could connect the issue of tax probes of South Korean media outlets with China's bid for the Olympics and the advertising policy of a Hong Kong bank? While it may not seem obvious at first glance, the linkage relates to freedom of expression.
In the case of South Korea, the National Tax Service and the Fair Trade Commission, media outlets were hit with over 500 billion won in penalty taxes. After this ruling, prosecutors were told to investigate six major papers and three of their owners.
To aid in this investigation, former and incumbent accounting officials of three daily newspapers were called in by prosecution officials for questioning in connection with a probe of alleged tax evasion. At the same time, prosecutors have imposed an overseas travel ban on 25 financial officials of the accused newspapers in connection with the same tax probe.