This study attempts to clarify how news films or ‘Daehan News’ having strong enlightenment
elements in the earlier times, became propaganda films to elucidate their propaganda
strategies during the 1960’s.
Recognizing films as an instrument of propaganda, the military junta enhanced and
strengthened the role and position of information activities in the government, in order to use
the most of mass media as a tool of ‘psychological warfare’. In particular, ‘The National Film
Production Center’ played an important role of planning and producing news and culture
films made by the film department and the Daehan film company. ‘Daehan News’ was a
medium of a political propaganda under the direct control of governments. Korean
governments actively exploited the technology of film medium, to let people know a policy of
governments as well as persuade the public to bring a motion for the government.
This paper, firstly, aims to explore the military government to regard films as a method of
legitimizing their power and of securing the agreement of the people in terms of the medium
of public screenings. Looking at the history of Daehan News, this paper also tries to examine
criticisms that the news had often received. Secondly, this paper investigates the formal
characteristics of the news in a way of how the meaning of the news is produced and
delivered to audiences.