Opposition Parties Unite to "Protect the Press"... Seven Opposition Parties Launch Media Oppression Countermeasures Committee

Seven Opposition Parties Including the Democratic Party Unite
Park Chan-dae "Will Accelerate Re-legislation of the Three Broadcasting Laws"
12 Attendees Including Media Union and Media Professional Organizations

The opposition parties of the 22nd National Assembly launched the 'Joint Countermeasure Committee to Prevent Media Oppression (Gongdaeui)'. All parliamentary parties except the ruling People Power Party declared in unison that they would lead media reform.

On the afternoon of the 4th, Gongdaeui held an inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly Members' Office Building and read the declaration of launch. The seven opposition parties, viewing the Yoon Seok-yeol administration as oppressing the media by taking control of public broadcasting, formed the seven-party opposition Gongdaeui to jointly respond to this issue. The joint committee chairs representing each party in Gongdaeui are Go Min-jeong of the Democratic Party, Shin Jang-sik of the Party for National Innovation, Jeon Jong-deok of the Progressive Party, Kim Jong-min of the New Future Party, Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, and Han Chang-min of the Social Democratic Party, among others.

Democratic Party lawmaker Go Min-jung, Reform New Party floor leader Cheon Ha-ram, and New Future Party lawmaker Kim Jong-min are reading the launch declaration at the joint countermeasure committee inauguration ceremony and emergency meeting of the seven opposition parties to stop media suppression, held on the 4th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

In the declaration, Gongdaeui stated, "The Yoon administration has consistently shown an attitude of not allowing criticism and checks (of the media)," and "The seven opposition parties will unite to protect media freedom, the foundation of democracy." It continued, "Ahead of the April general election, the Election Broadcasting Deliberation Committee has issued 14 disciplinary actions against related parties and concentrated legal sanctions on specific media outlets," and "We will firmly oppose any acts that try to seize the media in the hands of power."

Gongdaeui declared that it would re-push the 'Broadcasting Three Acts' vetoed by President Yoon Seok-yeol and pursue a national audit to investigate the truth and responsibility for media oppression. The 'Broadcasting Three Acts' collectively refer to amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, focusing on increasing the number of directors on the public broadcasting board and expanding the authority to recommend directors to external experts. Although the bill passed the National Assembly plenary session last year, it was discarded after the president exercised his veto power.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Cheon Ha-ram, floor leader of the Reform New Party, and Kim Jong-min, member of the New Future Party, are taking a commemorative photo at the launch ceremony and emergency meeting of the Joint Countermeasures Committee of the Seven Opposition Parties to Stop Media Oppression held on the 4th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, attended the inauguration ceremony and said, "Over the past two years, the Yoon administration's media oppression has reached the height of shamelessness," adding, "Citizens have been silenced, journalists have been threatened with knife attacks, and broadcasting companies have been subjected to excessive disciplinary actions." He further stated, "We will accelerate legislation to protect media freedom and broadcasting independence," and "We will firmly hold accountable those who collaborated in media oppression, including Kim Hong-il, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, Ryu Hee-rim, chairman of the Broadcasting Deliberation Committee, and Park Min, president of KBS."

Cheon Ha-ram, floor leader of the Reform New Party, criticized, "If power could be maintained by controlling public broadcasting, why did the Moon Jae-in administration lose power when broadcaster Kim Eo-jun hosted TBS broadcasts and journalist Joo Jin-woo was in charge of KBS programs?" He added, "Has the approval rating or livelihood of the Yoon administration improved since the hosts changed?" He continued, "I think we need to create a broadcasting environment befitting the dignity of the Republic of Korea," and said, "President Yoon always talks about 'freedom, freedom,' but shouldn't the regulations and sanctions by the Broadcasting Deliberation Committee now be abolished?"

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