 |
Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Minyoung] Seoul, South Korea – May 14, 2025 – Naver Corporation has internally confirmed plans to resume its evaluation process for onboarding new media outlets to its news platform by the end of this year. This marks a significant step forward in reestablishing its News Partnership Evaluation Committee (NPEC), which had been inactive since May 2023 due to various controversies.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Naver intends to accelerate the reformation of the NPEC following the conclusion of South Korea’s 21st presidential election. The company has reportedly completed a legal review regarding the formation and independent operation of the committee.
A senior official at Naver stated, “There is a strong internal consensus that the review process must be relaunched this year without delay. Reinstating the evaluation of new media partnerships is considered not a choice, but a necessity.”
As part of the restructuring, the News Innovation Forum, an advisory body to Naver’s news service, is said to be preparing a new model for the evaluation process. The plan includes establishing a pool of up to 1,000 media experts. From this pool, a random selection process would appoint dozens of panelists to assess both the admission and potential delisting of news outlets. This approach mirrors the impartial review mechanisms used by public agencies and government-affiliated institutions, such as the Prosecutorial Review Committee.
Naver's renewed commitment to transparency and objectivity in its media partnership process comes amid increasing scrutiny over the influence of digital platforms in the dissemination of news.
Alphabiz 김민영 기자(kimmy@alphabiz.co.kr)
