DISPUTES CONTINUE OVER PRESS ARBITRATION ACT

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The National Assembly’s plenary session was postponed to August 30th due to a procedural problem with the National Assembly Act. The Press Arbitration Act was scheduled to be voted on at yesterday’s session. Meanwhile, even some members of the ruling party are concerned about the Press Arbitration Act’s revision bill that passed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee early yesterday morning.

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The Democratic Party has been trying to expeditiously pass the Press Arbitration Act’s revision bill at Wednesday’s plenary session of the National Assembly. But its plan was derailed when the Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s review ended early, just before the plenary session. The National Assembly Speaker expressed his decision to put off the plenary meeting, after the opposition bloc highlighted the National Assembly Act clause that stipulated the plenary session cannot vote on a bill unless one day elapses after a standing committee finishes its examination of the bill. Lawmakers agreed to hold a plenary session on August 30th. But even some members of the ruling party claim more thorough review is needed. The Justice Minister pointed out the clause about the clear intention or gross negligence by the press is too vague to determine punitive damage compensation.

[Soundbite] Yoo Sang-bum(People Power Party Representative) : "S. Korea is unprecedented in the world as it recognizes defamation as a crime. Defamation is currently penalized with damage compensation in the civil court. Tell us your opinion about adding the punitive damage compensation system on top of that."

[Soundbite] Park Beom-kye(Minister of Justice) : "I personally believe the term malice is better than deliberate gross negligence."

The DP leadership is fully intent on passing the Press Arbitration Act once the plenary session opens on Monday. To deter the bill, the people power party announced to carry out a filibuster to delay the procedure.