Asia-Pacific news agencies meeting kicks off in S.Korea

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) - The 17th Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) annual meeting hosted by South Korean News Agency Yonhap kicked off in the capital Seoul on Thursday.

At the three-day event, the OANA board of directors for 2019-2022 will be elected, while Yonhap will assume the OANA presidency for the next three years, taking over from the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AzerTAc).

Forty-four OANA member news agencies from 35 countries are taking part in the group’s general assembly, along with observers from the World Congress of News Agencies (NAWC), the Union of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), and the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA).

At the meeting, Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s top news source -- which is due to assume the OANA vice presidency -- is being represented by Muhammet Salih Demirkan, deputy chairman of the board, and Deputy Director General Mustafa Ozkaya.

- Anadolu Agency's devoted work against terrorist groups' smear campaign

During the meeting, Ozkaya decried how the terrorist group YPG/PKK used agency photos, after being distorted and misrepresented, to spread disinformation against Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring, an anti-terror operation launched in northern Syria last month.

During the presentation of reports from individual countries, Ozkaya told how Anadolu Agency fought fake news stories against Operation Peace Spring and successfully rebuffed terrorist propaganda through hard work and dedication.

Operation Peace Spring, launched on Oct. 9, aims to eliminate the terrorist YPG/PKK from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

- 'Lens Tells the Truth'

During the assembly, a conference on “New Challenges for Journalism: Technological Innovation and Trust Issues” will feature representatives from international media and academia making various presentations.

A photo exhibit “Lens Tells the Truth” also features a selection of pictures taken by OANA member news agencies in the categories of news, culture, daily life, and landscapes.

At the show, Anadolu Agency photos spotlighting people and human emotions attract great attention and acclaim.

OANA was founded in 1961 on the initiative of UNESCO to provide direct and free exchange of news between news agencies in an area of more than half the world's population.