NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

International press watchdog Reporters Without Borders asked the Korean lawmakers to vote against the Press Arbitration Act revision bill introduced at the National Assembly on the 24th local time. The RSF cited the Journalists Association of Korea’s criticism that the bill’s definition of “fake” and “fabricated” reports was vague. The group also noted that the bill does not have any definition or responsible verification system for grossly negligent or intentionally false or fabricated reports that call for punitive damage compensations up to five times the claimed damage.
In association with the Press Arbitration Act revision passing the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee early this morning, Justice Minister Park Beom-gye said that Korea should recognize the need to compensate for the damages caused by fake news. When asked about the possibility of the revised act restricting freedom of the press, Minister Park said how the law is enforced or interpreted determines the law’s nature and that Korean society is more than capable of addressing the concerns of journalists.