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| Academics condemn undercover filming in North Korea | Academics condemn undercover filming in North Korea |
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| We are all engaged in research and teaching about Korea and would like to make four points about the Panorama broadcast North Korea Undercover (Report, 16 April). 1) The content of the report told us nothing about the DPRK not already widely available in the print and broadcast media. 2) The unethical misrepresentation by the reporting team of themselves to the DPRK government endangered the LSE students on a study tour. 3) The misrepresentation has damaged the reputation of the LSE as well as all other academic contacts with the DPRK. 4) The misrepresentation has probably endangered the DPRK personnel involved with the group. | We are all engaged in research and teaching about Korea and would like to make four points about the Panorama broadcast North Korea Undercover (Report, 16 April). 1) The content of the report told us nothing about the DPRK not already widely available in the print and broadcast media. 2) The unethical misrepresentation by the reporting team of themselves to the DPRK government endangered the LSE students on a study tour. 3) The misrepresentation has damaged the reputation of the LSE as well as all other academic contacts with the DPRK. 4) The misrepresentation has probably endangered the DPRK personnel involved with the group. |
| For these reasons we believe that the BBC has not offered any service to the public, rather it has damaged reputations, set back attempts to make links with the DPRK, and the BBC should apologise publicly to both the LSE and to the students on the tour. Dr Judith Cherry Lecturer in Korean studies, School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield Aidan Foster-Carter Honorary senior research fellow in sociology & modern Korea, Leeds University Emeritus professor James Grayson University of Sheffield, former president, British Association for Korean Studies Dr James Hoare School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, British chargé d'affaires to the DPRK 2001-02, former president, British Association of Korea Studies Professor Keith Howard School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Anders Karlsson Senior lecturer in Korean studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Seung-young Kim Senior lecturer, School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield Dr Grace Koh Lecturer in Korean literature, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London | For these reasons we believe that the BBC has not offered any service to the public, rather it has damaged reputations, set back attempts to make links with the DPRK, and the BBC should apologise publicly to both the LSE and to the students on the tour. Dr Judith Cherry Lecturer in Korean studies, School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield Aidan Foster-Carter Honorary senior research fellow in sociology & modern Korea, Leeds University Emeritus professor James Grayson University of Sheffield, former president, British Association for Korean Studies Dr James Hoare School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, British chargé d'affaires to the DPRK 2001-02, former president, British Association of Korea Studies Professor Keith Howard School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Anders Karlsson Senior lecturer in Korean studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Seung-young Kim Senior lecturer, School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield Dr Grace Koh Lecturer in Korean literature, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |
| Dr James Lewis University lecturer in Korean history, University of Oxford, current president, British Association for Korean Studies Dr Owen Miller Lecturer in Korean studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Michael Shin Lecturer in Korean studies, University of Cambridge Dr John Swenson-Wright Senior lecturer, faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern studies, University of Cambridge Dr Jaehoon Yeon Professor of Korean language and linguistics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London | Dr James Lewis University lecturer in Korean history, University of Oxford, current president, British Association for Korean Studies Dr Owen Miller Lecturer in Korean studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr Michael Shin Lecturer in Korean studies, University of Cambridge Dr John Swenson-Wright Senior lecturer, faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern studies, University of Cambridge Dr Jaehoon Yeon Professor of Korean language and linguistics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |
| • We cannot condemn too strongly the dishonesty and irresponsible behaviour that endangered the liberty and possibly even the lives of the young people on a trip to North Korea. Even though they returned unscathed, it appears to have escaped the notice of the BBC that they have probably caused even longer-lasting damage. Many academic disciplines, including anthropology and archaeology, with which we are all concerned, undertake academic research not only in North Korea, but in other countries that are not favourably inclined to academic research. Now they will have a reason to reject research projects altogether. So future knowledge may well have been jeopardised as the result of the scandalous behaviour of a few and for what – a film that shows nothing more than the normal tourist's view of North Korea? Emeritus professor Roy Ellen University of Kent, immediate past President, Royal Anthropological Institute Professor Clive Gamble Southampton University, president, the Royal Anthropological Institute Professor Mark Harris Head of the anthropology department, St Andrews University Dr. David Shankland, Director, the Royal Anthropological Institute Emeritus professor Jean La Fontaine LSE, past President Royal Anthropological Institute | • We cannot condemn too strongly the dishonesty and irresponsible behaviour that endangered the liberty and possibly even the lives of the young people on a trip to North Korea. Even though they returned unscathed, it appears to have escaped the notice of the BBC that they have probably caused even longer-lasting damage. Many academic disciplines, including anthropology and archaeology, with which we are all concerned, undertake academic research not only in North Korea, but in other countries that are not favourably inclined to academic research. Now they will have a reason to reject research projects altogether. So future knowledge may well have been jeopardised as the result of the scandalous behaviour of a few and for what – a film that shows nothing more than the normal tourist's view of North Korea? Emeritus professor Roy Ellen University of Kent, immediate past President, Royal Anthropological Institute Professor Clive Gamble Southampton University, president, the Royal Anthropological Institute Professor Mark Harris Head of the anthropology department, St Andrews University Dr. David Shankland, Director, the Royal Anthropological Institute Emeritus professor Jean La Fontaine LSE, past President Royal Anthropological Institute |
| • When intelligence agencies use journalists as cover to gather information on hard-to-penetrate regimes, they are rightly condemned – not least by journalists – for threatening the safety of those working in the profession. So regardless of the quality or otherwise of the information gathered in North Korea by Panorama, for journalists to use academic cover is profoundly hypocritical. If students were misled as to the precise involvement of BBC journalists, then that compounds the offence. Peter Gill Honorary senior research fellow, University of Liverpool | • When intelligence agencies use journalists as cover to gather information on hard-to-penetrate regimes, they are rightly condemned – not least by journalists – for threatening the safety of those working in the profession. So regardless of the quality or otherwise of the information gathered in North Korea by Panorama, for journalists to use academic cover is profoundly hypocritical. If students were misled as to the precise involvement of BBC journalists, then that compounds the offence. Peter Gill Honorary senior research fellow, University of Liverpool |
| • I am a graduate of LSE and a former editor of Panorama. LSE's motto is rerum cognoscere causas – roughly "to know the meaning of things". Scholarship and journalism share the task of bringing light to dark places; each in their own way. On a day with a coffin on a gun carriage, Big Ben silenced and other general dottiness, LSE's relationship with North Korea should be taken calmly. When I was at LSE, we took a risk every time we ate in the refectory. Most survived. John Grist Richmond, Surrey | • I am a graduate of LSE and a former editor of Panorama. LSE's motto is rerum cognoscere causas – roughly "to know the meaning of things". Scholarship and journalism share the task of bringing light to dark places; each in their own way. On a day with a coffin on a gun carriage, Big Ben silenced and other general dottiness, LSE's relationship with North Korea should be taken calmly. When I was at LSE, we took a risk every time we ate in the refectory. Most survived. John Grist Richmond, Surrey |
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