Committee head invokes chairman's authority to submit media bill

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- Tension loomed in parliament Wednesday as a ruling party legislator invoked his authority as a committee chairman to bring a controversial media ownership bill to a vote, bypassing negotiations with the opposition bloc.

With rival parties apparently failing to reach common ground, Rep. Ko Heung-kil,
chairman of the National Assembly's committee overseeing media affairs, said he
had "no choice but to unilaterally present the bill."
The bill has been a major stumbling block and source of tension during
parliament's extraordinary session this month. The bill needs to be passed by
Ko's committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee before it becomes law.
The government is seeking legal revisions to make way for the establishment of
media magnates, allowing one parent company to simultaneously own print media and
cable television networks.
Critics charge the plan would reorganize the market into just a handful of
financially resourceful companies, undermining diversity and the ability to
express views critical of the government.
Ko's decision came after he was told by committee leaders from both the ruling
Grand National Party (GNP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) that
they failed to reach an agreement on how to handle the proposed bill.
Minor scuffles broke out as the meeting came to a close, with DP lawmakers
arguing that the decision was made in disregard of due legal process. The
chairman was seized by his collar by an angry DP lawmaker.
"When presenting a bill, (a chairman) must ask for approval from its members,"
Rep. Jun Byung-hun of the DP said, questioning the legality of Ko's decision.
"He did not state the name of the bill and the stenographer hasn't recorded the
decision," said Jun, citing technical omissions in the procedure.
The GNP's Rep. La Kyung-won insisted that the decision is legitimate and that it
was inevitable because of the opposition's behavior.
"The ruling party proposed amending the bill, but the opposition did not accept
it. This means that they are objecting to presenting the bill itself," she said.
Ko later said in a statement that the decision is, in effect, a proposition for
open discussion on the matter. The move is not tantamount to the bill's passage
by parliament, he said.
"The bill presentation is only the start of discussions, as the process requires
further talks within the committee and another vote in the Legislation and
Judiciary Committee," Ko said.