Media Special Committee Ends 6 Months of Activity 'Empty-Handed'... Key Issues Like Press Reform Law Remain Unresolved

Democratic Party's Kim Jong-min "Embarrassing Special Committee"
People Power's Yoon Doo-hyun "Legislation Must Be Cautious"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The National Assembly's Special Committee on Media and Press System Improvement effectively ended "empty-handed" on the 24th after six months of activity.

The Media Special Committee held its 11th plenary session at the National Assembly on the same day and adopted the special committee activity report. The report included the committee's discussion points and the final reports submitted by two advisory subcommittees (Trust Improvement and Governance Improvement).

Core issues surrounding amendments to related laws such as the Press Arbitration Act (punitive damages system), the Information and Communications Network Act (regulation of portals and one-person media), and the Broadcasting Act (improvement of public broadcasting governance) were not concluded.

Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Kim Jong-min said, "Although a report called the activity result report was made between the two floor leaders, as you can see, there is no substantial content," adding, "I have been active in the National Assembly for six years, but there has never been a more shameful activity than this special committee."

He continued, "I plan to propose the reorganization of the special committee to continue the activities, but if the special committee has no legislative power, it will be meaningless."

People Power Party floor leader Rep. Yoon Doo-hyun said, "There is a saying in Laozi's Tao Te Ching, 치대국약팽소선 (治大國若烹小鮮), meaning that governing a large country should be done delicately like cooking a small fish, not hastily," adding, "Legislative discussions should be conducted carefully so that one side's values are not damaged by bias toward one side."

The Media Special Committee, launched in November last year, extended its activity period once but failed to resolve the conflict of opinions between the ruling and opposition parties on key issues.

Hong Ik-pyo, chairman of the special committee from the Democratic Party, said in his closing remarks, "There were limitations in the discussions, and due to severe conflicts of opinion among various negotiation groups, it was difficult for the special committee to present advanced proposals or develop discussions," adding, "However, the fact that the special committee restored the process of discussion despite the National Assembly's confrontational situation is a certain achievement."