Monday deadline set for action on media reform bills

The Grand National Party yesterday issued an ultimatum to opposition lawmakers that it will begin pushing forward media industry reform bills in a week.

Shortly after GNP lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who sits on the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Sports, Tourism, Broadcasting and Communications, held talks with her Democratic Party counterpart, Jun Byung-hun, yesterday morning, she told journalists that the majority ruling party will begin advancing the bills in committee. “The legislature has made a promise to the people to vote on the media industry reform bills during this session,” Na said. “If the opposition parties present alternatives, there still is room for discussion. But the bills must be voted on at the standing committee by next Monday.”

The June session ends on July 25.

“Until the Democratic Party presents other options, the GNP will continue to ask standing committees to open their meetings,” Na said. “The National Assembly speaker has said the bills will be voted on during this session. That means he will introduce the bills directly for voting if the committee fails to move them in time.”

Following the GNP ultimatum, the Democrats stood pat, saying they would not submit to the ruling party’s timetable. Jun condemned the GNP’s plan.

“If they vote on the bills at the standing committee Monday, it will be a day of disaster for the GNP,” Jun said. “We ask to resolve the matter through dialogue, but the GNP attempts to trample us down with their majority of seats.”

“We have said we will present alternatives, but the GNP set forth the deadline and the number of negotiations available,” Jun said. “That’s unheard of, even for talks between a colony and its controlling nation.”

Jun demanded that National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyung-o make clear that he does not intend to use his power to introduce the bills directly for voting. “The matter will be discussed among the DP lawmakers and a party position will be decided tomorrow,” Jun said. “We will then submit our plan.”

Since the June session belatedly opened on June 26, days of inaction dragged on in the main chamber as opposition lawmakers boycotted legislative activities and staged protests over the non-regular worker and media reform measures. Assembly Speaker Kim publicly asked the lawmakers yesterday to clear out the main lobby of the Assembly. “On July 17, Constitutional Day, a procession of children, students, foreigners and diplomats will visit the National Assembly,” he said. “It will be a national embarrassment if the protests were to continue.” Kim urged the ruling and opposition parties to hammer out deals on the sensitive bills. “Or else, I will have to make a certain decision,” he warned.

The legislative timetable for the rest of the session is volatile. Today, a confirmation hearing is slated for the nation’s new tax service head Baek Yong-ho. On Monday, there could be committee action on the media bills as well as a confirmation hearing for proposed new prosecutor-general Chun Sung-gwan. July 18 is the deadline for extending the Korean peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]