Ruling and Opposition Parties Engage in Daily Tensions Over Media Arbitration Act... Difficulties Starting the Consultative Body

Yun Hojung, Democratic Party Floor Leader
"Media Reform Starts Now
Must Be Completed in the Regular Session"

Lee Junseok, People Power Party Leader
"To Proceed with Consultative Talks,
Must First Declare Abandonment of Toxic Clauses"

Yun Ho-jung, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (right), and Kim Ki-hyun, the floor leader of the People Power Party, exchanged an agreement on forming a consultative body for the amendment of the Press Arbitration Act and the submission to the plenary session on the 27th of this month at the Speaker's Office in the National Assembly, Yeouido, Seoul, on the 31st of last month. In the center is Park Byeong-seok, the Speaker of the National Assembly.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The ruling and opposition parties have been engaged in daily tensions over the formation of a consultative body to discuss the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act.

On the 2nd, Yoon Ho-jung, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the policy coordination meeting, "Media reform is just beginning now," adding, "Reforms in public broadcasting governance and fairness in portals, along with the 'Fake News Damage Regulation Act,' must be finalized during the regular National Assembly session."

On the other hand, the People Power Party did not back down from its previous stance of abolishing the amendment. Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, urged at the Supreme Council meeting that day, "For the consultative dialogue to proceed constructively, it is appropriate for the Democratic Party to declare abandonment of the concerns raised by the UN and various media organizations," and called for "a declaration of giving up the toxic clauses." Cho Soo-jin, the senior Supreme Council member, provoked by saying, "Kim Yong-min, who has consistently defended the Cho family, and Kim Jong-min, who argued that '95% of the attacks are false information,' are participating in the consultative body as representatives of Cho. They might as well directly insert Cho into the consultative body."

Five media organizations, including the Korean Federation of Media Workers' Unions, drew a line on participation, citing concerns that the eight-member consultative body could become a 'closed-door organization' of the two parties. They plan to discuss media reform through a new organization. Kim Dong-won, head of policy cooperation at the Media Workers' Union, said, "The eight-member consultative body created by the two parties has issues starting with representation," adding, "Given the low trust in the media, it is necessary to launch a 'Commission on Media and Freedom of Expression' involving civil society groups and media scholars, and if necessary, discuss improvements for six months to a year."

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