Parties on collision course over disputed media bills

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES with more developments in paras 4-7)
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly was again heading towards
partisan deadlock on Thursday as opposition lawmakers refused to discuss
economy-related bills in protest of an earlier legislative move on media reform.

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) the day before unilaterally introduced a
set of controversial bills that would, among other things, allow newspaper
companies to own a stake in broadcasters.
Opposition Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Chung Sye-kyun said his party will use
any means necessary to block the media bills and will, in the meantime, refuse to
cooperate with the GNP's efforts to formulate a supplementary budget aimed at
tackling the economic crisis.
Committee meetings on pending bills were canceled across the board, with
opposition leaders occupying chambers and boycotting negotiations. Some 2,400
bills are currently on hold for committee deliberations.
The foreign affairs and trade committee's review process in ratifying a free
trade agreement with the U.S. was halted after one DP lawmaker seized the
chairperson seat to stall further deliberation on the trade deal, which awaits
legislative approval from both countries.
The GNP was busy planning its countermeasures. Its floor leader, Hong Joon-pyo,
called on party committee members to continue legal proceedings even if the
opposition withdraws.
"We will run the National Assembly per the wishes of the people, who supported
the GNP and the government," Hong said.
On Wednesday, GNP legislator Ko Heung-kil, chairman of parliament's committee
overseeing media affairs, invoked his authority as committee head to bring the
contested media industry reform bills to deliberation by a judiciary subcommittee
and a vote, after rival parties failed to narrow differences.
The bills have been a major stumbling block and source of tension in parliament
since late last year.
If passed in the Assembly's plenary session, the bills would allow conglomerates,
print media and news agencies to own up to a 20-percent stake in terrestrial
broadcasters. Simultaneous ownership of print and broadcast media would also be
made possible, and conglomerates, newspapers and news agencies would be allowed
to hold a 49-percent stake in general and news-only cable television channels.
Foreigners will also be allowed to own up to 20 percent of Korean cable TV
broadcasters.
The GNP insists the reform bills are indispensable to strengthening the
international competitiveness of the nation's media industry, but critics charge
the plan would lead to monopoly of the market by a handful of companies,
undermining diversity and the ability to express views critical of the
government.
Following Ko's unilateral introduction of the bills, DP lawmakers began a sit-in
protest at the committee chamber, calling for an apology from the GNP and vowing
not to cooperate with the ruling party on legislative issues.
"It would be difficult to cooperate with any scheduled meetings at the National
Assembly unless we are promised that the decision will be repealed and trust is
restored," DP Chairman Chung said in a radio interview with public broadcaster
KBS.
Hong tried to assure the opposition by saying that his party does not intend to
push through the bills without consultations with the opposition parties. The GNP
controls a comfortable majority of 172 seats in the unicameral 299-member
parliament.
"As the parliament's extra session ends on March 3, we will consult with the
opposition as much as possible," Hong said during a meeting of his party's
leaders, adding that the bills are not intended to "give away" broadcasters to
conglomerates.
In protest of the ruling party's decision, some 1,000 union members from
broadcaster MBC went on an indefinite strike Thursday morning, according to the
National Union of Media Workers (NUMW). Unions at KBS, SBS and other nationwide
broadcasters were also mulling similar moves.
The union sees the bills as initial steps in the president's ultimate plan to
privatize state-run television channels, a move strongly opposed by broadcasters
but welcomed by market-dominant newspaper companies.
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has tried to keep its distance from the
issue, saying that it is a matter that must be resolved among lawmakers.
"We are in an age when parliament has never before enjoyed autonomy as much as
now," Park Hyung-joon, senior secretary to the president for public affairs, said
in a radio interview with BBS. "Given such conditions, we hope for the National
Assembly to reach an agreement as soon as possible."
odissy@yna.co.kr
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