Goseong's Traveling Sorcerers Struggle Over Media Arbitration Act... Will It Pass Just Before Midnight?

Kwon Seong-dong "How Dare You Be Arrogant" Park Beom-gye "What Do You Mean by Arrogant?" Loud Argument
Kim Jong-min "We Gathered to Vote Today... 12 Hours Passed Without Passing a Single Bill"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 24th, during the full meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, a heated exchange took place between the People Power Party lawmakers and Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye regarding the amendment to the Media Arbitration Act, which the Democratic Party of Korea had announced it would push through.

On the 24th, Yoon Han-hong, the floor leader of the People Power Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and other lawmakers attended the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, displaying opposition phrases against the "Media Arbitration Act Amendment." Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On that day, Kwon Seong-dong, a People Power Party lawmaker, referred to Minister Park’s past role as the head of the task force during the 'Jung Yoon-hoe Document Leak Incident,' asking, "At that time, didn’t you even propose a source protection law? The Democratic Party, which went so far as to create a damage reporting center claiming to support the media, should just clarify if the criticism against them is unjustified." Minister Park responded, "That news back then was not fake news. If appropriate measures had been taken at the time, the state corruption could have been prevented. As the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Kwon lawmaker surely knows very well that the situation now is different from then."

As voices grew louder during this exchange, Kwon lawmaker shouted, "Are you reprimanding me now, Minister? Where do you get off giving unsolicited advice? Why are you arrogantly answering questions that weren’t even asked?"

Minister Park did not back down, shouting back, "What do you mean by 'arrogantly'? I was not lecturing you."

After the exchange between Kwon lawmaker and Minister Park subsided, Yoon Han-hong, another People Power Party lawmaker, took the floor and criticized Minister Park again, saying, "Your attitude during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee sessions always seems arrogant." Yoon added, "The public is watching. Don’t you think you come across as arrogant?" Minister Park raised his voice once more, saying, "What exactly did I do? As a member of the State Council, if I am called 'arrogant,' what am I supposed to do? There is a historical context between me and Kwon lawmaker that you, Yoon lawmaker, don’t know about."

Subsequently, People Power Party lawmakers reiterated their opposition to the Media Arbitration Act.

Jeon Ju-hye, a lawmaker, pointed out a loophole in the amendment, saying, "Reports about public officials’ families or unofficial power brokers can sufficiently be subject to punitive damages claims by the parties involved, can’t they?" Cho Su-jin referenced President Moon’s remarks at the 57th anniversary ceremony of the Korea Journalists Association, where he said, "Freedom of the press is the pillar of democracy," criticizing, "He says this but doesn’t utter a word about the 'gag law' on the media. This is a typical case of disassociation from reality."

Meanwhile, as discussions continued without progress on the bill’s approval past 10 p.m., Kim Jong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker, urged Chairperson Park Ju-min of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to proceed with the session promptly.

Kim emphasized, "This is not how the meeting should be conducted. I was notified at 10 o’clock, but due to various circumstances, the session was postponed, and 12 hours have passed without passing a single bill. We gathered here to approve the bill today, not just to deliberate and debate."

He added, "If we fail to approve it today, it won’t even go to the plenary session tomorrow. The chairperson should properly seek consent for speaking rights and be strict when necessary," raising his voice to urge swift approval of the bill.