Culture Committee Reviews Media Arbitration Act... 'Painful Struggle' Expected Due to Ruling and Opposition Party Differences

The 2nd Subcommittee on the Review of Culture and Arts Bills of the 389th National Assembly Extraordinary Session's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee was held on the afternoon of the 27th of last month at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, chaired by Chairman Park Jeong. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee will hold a plenary session on the 10th to review the 'Amendment to the Media Arbitration Act.' Although the Democratic Party of Korea pushed the bill through the subcommittee, the People Power Party is strongly opposing it, calling it the 'media gag law,' so difficulties are expected.

The Culture Committee will hold a plenary session at 2 p.m. that day to review the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act, which focuses on applying punitive damages for false or fabricated reports. The amendment, which passed the Culture Committee subcommittee on the 27th of last month, includes provisions to claim punitive damages up to five times the amount of damages against media outlets that intentionally or through gross negligence produce false or fabricated reports.

The Democratic Party, having secured a majority of seats, may attempt to pass the bill by vote at the meeting. Previously, the Democratic Party expressed its intention to complete the amendment within this month.

In that case, the People Power Party plans to request the convening of the Agenda Adjustment Committee. The Agenda Adjustment Committee consists of six members, equally divided between the ruling and opposition parties, and can discuss contentious bills for up to 90 days. The issue is that even if the Agenda Adjustment Committee is formed, there is speculation that Kim Eui-gyeom, a member of the Open Democratic Party, may be included as part of the opposition's quota. Kim has been a strong advocate for pushing the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act.

The opposition continues to maintain its stance against the bill. Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a meeting with reporters after the party's floor strategy meeting on the same day, "We have firmly explained several times that this is a law to gag the media, and we will exert all possible efforts to ensure it never passes." Lee Dal-gon, the opposition party's secretary of the Culture Committee and a member of the People Power Party, also emphasized in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "There are no other official measures besides the Agenda Adjustment Committee, but the committee members are continuously meeting and considering the best approach."

Meanwhile, six media organizations including the Gwahun Club, Korea Journalists Association, Korea Newspaper and Broadcasting Editors Association, Korea Newspaper Association, Korea Women Journalists Association, and Korea Internet Newspaper Association adopted a resolution to withdraw the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act and launched a 'media personnel signature campaign' starting the day before.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.