U.N. ON PRESS ARBITRATION ACT

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The United Nations Special Rapporteur on press freedom appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council has expressed concerns about the controversial revision of the Pres Arbitration Act. The U.N. rapporteur said that if the bill is passed, it could greatly undermine freedom of expression and asked for the Korean government’s official position.

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The United Nations Special Rapporteur communicated to the Korean government her concern that the controversial revision of the Press Arbitration Act could severely restrict the rights to freedom of information and of expression of the media. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had received a letter from the U.N. Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan on August 27th. In the letter released on the official website for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kahn pointed out three major issues associated with the bill. First, the laws that limit the freedom of expression and information should be clear and accurate, but the bill confers excessive discretion to the authorities that may lead to arbitrary implementation. Also, the definition of false and manipulated report is vague, which could restrict not only news reporting but also discourage criticism of public figures and the expression of minority opinions. She added that such concerns are heightened ahead of the next presidential election in March 2022. She also noted that punitive damage compensation that may amount to five time the claimed damage is “utterly disproportionate,” and could result in the media’s self-censorship and constricted social discussion. The U.N. Special Rapporteur asked the Korean government to explain how the revision is consistent with the Korean government’s obligation to follow the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. She also respectfully urged that the draft be changed to meet international human rights standards. The government said that it plans to respond after keeping an eye on the parliamentary discourse and discussing this matter with relevant ministries.