“This award shows that Korean American media can stand shoulder to shoulder with mainstream news organizations.”
That was how Anh Do, a Los Angeles Times deputy editor and Asian American Journalists Association board member, described The Korea Daily’s recognition at this year’s AAJA Awards.
The Korea Daily’s reporting series on Korean deportees received an honorable mention in the written reporting category alongside The New York Times.
Do, who spoke with The Korea Daily on June 26, said even receiving an honorable mention was unusual.
“AAJA often announces only the winners in each category and does not necessarily select honorable mentions,” she said. “That makes this a particularly special achievement.”
Through reporting conducted both in the United States and South Korea, The Korea Daily documented the lives of Korean deportees who were forced to rebuild their lives in a homeland that was often unfamiliar to them.
The series examined their struggles with identity, separation from family and the emotional toll of beginning again after deportation.
Do said the reporting stood out because it went beyond covering deportation policy itself and followed what happened to people after they were removed from the United States.
“There is not much reporting that focuses specifically on Asian deportees,” Do said. “The Korea Daily’s stories showed in depth what the idea of ‘returning home’ means for Korean deportees and the realities they face once they get there.”
“It is also very significant that the largest Korean American news organization in the United States followed this issue over an extended period of time,” she added.
Showing the human cost of deportation
Do said another strength of the series was its ability to convey the emotions and trauma experienced by deportees in a way that allowed readers to understand the human consequences of removal.
“For people who are forced to leave, the process can be a hellish experience,” she said. “For someone who may not regard the place of their birth as their true home, deportation is not simply a matter of relocating. It can mean the collapse of the foundation of their entire life.”
She said strong journalism requires both balance and accuracy, which can only be achieved through rigorous research and reporting.
“This series demonstrated the depth and value that journalism can provide to readers,” Do said.
Bilingual journalism expands the audience
Do also identified The Korea Daily’s ability to publish stories in both Korean and English as an important competitive advantage.
“Korean-language stories can connect closely with readers who are most comfortable in their native language,” she said. “English-language reporting can reach younger Korean Americans, other Asian American audiences and, beyond that, mainstream readers who are interested in Korean culture and the Korean American community.”
That ability to serve different generations and audiences simultaneously, she said, is one of the key strengths of a bilingual news organization.
Do said The Korea Daily occupies a distinctive position because readers trust the organization enough to share deeply personal stories.
“It is in a unique position as a news organization that readers trust and feel comfortable entrusting with their stories,” she said.
“By using that strength to document people’s lives in depth, The Korea Daily has already demonstrated that it can compete on the mainstream journalism stage.”
