Conflicts growing between rival parties over fake news law

Aug 23, 2021, 09:30 am

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Kim Gi-hyeon, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), holds a press briefing on pending issues such as the amendment to the Press Arbitration Act, at the National Assembly in Seoul on August 22, 2021./ Photographed by Song Eui-joo (songuijoo@)

AsiaToday reporter Jo Jae-hak

Clashes with the opposition bloc has become inevitable as the ruling Democratic Party (DP) announced that it would push ahead with the revision of the Act on Press Arbitration despite strong protest from opposition parties. Ahead of the plenary session on Wednesday, the political situation is tightening rapidly. The main opposition PPP plans to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court for an adjudication on the constitution of the law and an adjudication on authority disputes if the DP pushes ahead with the bill.

“The legislative rampage of the ruling party has reached its peak,” said PPP floor leader Kim Gi-hyeon during a press briefing at the National Assembly on Sunday. “If Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling DP dominates media following the control of the prosecution, the police, the court, the Constitutional court, and the National Assembly, the final puzzle leading to a dictatorship will be completed,” Kim said.

The PPP floor leader claimed that the key provisions of the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act, such as the imposition of liability for punitive damages, the presumption of intentional and gross negligence, and the right to request blocking of accessing, were unconstitutional and said, “If a constitutional complaint is filed, it is certain that it will be null and void.” He pointed out the structural and procedural problems of the agenda coordination committee of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, and said the party would file a request for a trial on authority if the bill passes the plenary session.

He also said the party would take all possible measures, including launching a filibuster, to delay the proceedings to prevent the ruling party from railroading the bill.

Opposition presidential candidates also strongly criticized the government and the ruling party over the ruling party’s revision bill for the Act on Press Arbitration. “The revision for the Press Arbitration will censor the press,” said former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl in a press conference at the National Assembly. “If the bill is enforced, corruption of power will be concealed and will spread like poison,” Yoon said. “The real purpose is aimed at extending the power by blocking reports criticizing the government in the end of the regime,” he said.

Former chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection Choi Jae-hyun issued a statement and suggested to postpone the vision presentation scheduled for Wednesday and to fight against the National Assembly by all presidential candidates.

People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo wrote on his social media, “The beneficiaries of this law will be the people in power, not the people, in that the state seizes the life-or-death authority of the media,” and said, “It is a violation of freedom.”

International media organizations also criticized the media arbitration law. In a statement sent to the Korea Journalists Association on Saturday, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said, “We demand the repeal of this bill that suppresses freedom of expression and that it be rejected at the plenary session to be held on Wednesday.”

#Democratic Party #Peoples Power Party #fake news #Media Arbitration #revision