National Assembly Culture Committee Refers Media Arbitration Act to Agenda Coordination Committee... Ruling and Opposition Parties Continue 'Disagreement'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] The revision bill of the "Act on the Mediation and Relief of Damage in the Press" (Press Mediation Act), which the ruling and opposition parties are sharply divided over, has been referred to the Agenda Adjustment Committee.

The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held a plenary session on the 17th and referred the revision bill of the Press Mediation Act to the Agenda Adjustment Committee.

The Agenda Adjustment Committee is a procedure for reviewing bills with differing opinions. According to the National Assembly Act, if more than one-third of the relevant standing committee requests the formation of the Agenda Adjustment Committee, a committee with an equal number of ruling and opposition members can operate for up to 90 days. Bills referred to the Agenda Adjustment Committee can be submitted to the plenary session if approved by more than two-thirds of the committee members.

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee convened three plenary sessions since the 10th, but the ruling and opposition parties strongly clashed and failed to narrow their differences. Do Jong-hwan, chairman of the committee from the Democratic Party, resolved to refer the revision bill of the Press Mediation Act to the Agenda Adjustment Committee during the plenary session that day. The ruling and opposition parties are expected to submit the list of members for the formation of the Agenda Adjustment Committee by the morning of the 18th. After completing the appointment of members, they plan to renegotiate the schedule for the Agenda Adjustment Committee meetings.

The key issue is who will be included in the opposition party's quota. Since it is highly likely that Kim Eui-gyeom, a member of the Open Democratic Party, will be assigned to the opposition party's quota, the revision bill of the Press Mediation Act is expected to go through the Agenda Adjustment Committee before reaching the plenary session. Representative Kim supports the revision bill of the Press Mediation Act. The ruling party has reiterated its intention to process the bill within August.

Lee Dal-gon, the opposition party's secretary, and a member of the People Power Party, emphasized, "I request that the chairman properly go through the process this time and ensure that it is done correctly regarding the formation of the Agenda Adjustment Committee," adding, "This subcommittee must be open to the public."

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