Major parties differ over ruling on media laws

Following the top court`s ruling on the recently passed media-related laws, the main opposition party yesterday asserted that a revision was inevitable, while the ruling party ruled out such a possibility.

"It matches common sense, the public`s will and the principle of law that another round of discussion is necessary because the laws could not be followed without solving the procedural violation issues," Democratic Party Chairman Chung Sye-kyun said during a meeting with party officials.

"We will use all methods we can find to revise the current media-related laws."

On Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the three bills on broadcasting, newspapers and IPTV, unilaterally passed by the Grand National Party on July 22, are valid and will take effect as planned on Nov. 1.



Although the court acknowledged that the passage process of the contentious bills has violated the voting rights of opposition lawmakers, it rejected the opposition`s request to annul the corresponding laws.

The details of the related regulations, however, were left to be revised by the parliamentary culture, broadcasting and communications committee.

Headed by Supreme Council member Park Joo-sun, the main opposition party formed a committee to fight the GNP-pushed media laws yesterday. It is looking to prepare a revision of the three laws as early as next Wednesday.

"The National Assembly must take full responsibility and offer solutions to end the controversy," Chung said.

GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo, however, said the ruling party does not plan to respond to the opposition`s request for further talks over the media-related legislations.

"We accept the court`s decision on the laws. We will not consider reopening the discussion table, no matter what the requests of the DP are," he said.

"We must put a complete stop to consuming energy over the media legislations and move forward to carry out measures for the development of the media industry."

GNP`s chief policymaker Kim Seong-jo added that the party`s policy committee will soon begin preparing an enforcement ordinance and launch the selection process of general channel operators. The operators will provide news, entertainment, drama and other programs.

The ruling party discussed the specifics of the follow-up scheme during a workshop attended by its floor leadership and policy committee members in Incheon yesterday.

(sharon@heraldm.com)



By Cho Ji-hyun