Assembly speaker suggests putting media bills to plenary vote

(ATTN: UPDATES with blockade of Assembly halls in last six paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) -- National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyung-o on Friday said
he won't rule out the possibility of invoking his authority to put a package of
22 media-industry reform bills directly to a plenary session vote, if rival
parties fail to reach a compromise by next Tuesday.
"It's difficult to say definitely for now, but I won't rule out the possibility
of using my power to introduce the media bills, together with other bills related
to economic revival and improvement of public livelihood, directly to the main
floor," Kim said in a telephone interview with Yonhap News.
"I will decide on the use of my authority unless the ruling and opposition
parties resume dialogue and produce a compromise before the special parliamentary
session ends next Tuesday."
Kim's remarks came amid the deepening partisan deadlock over the disputed media
reform bills, which the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) insists are
indispensable to strengthening the international competitiveness of the nation's
media industry.
The media bills, if passed in the Assembly's plenary session, would make way for
simultaneous ownership of print and broadcast media, allowing conglomerates and
newspapers to own up to a 20 percent stake in terrestrial broadcasters. Private
firms and newspapers will also be allowed to secure a maximum 49 percent stake in
general and news-only cable TVs.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and media industry workers are fiercely
opposed to the bills, contending that the reforms would only lead to monopoly of
the media market by a handful of companies and thus undermine media criticism of
the government.
As Speaker Kim's remarks were known, some ranking lawmakers of the GNP indicated
that the ruling party intends to revise parts of the media bills to better
reflect the opinions of the DP and other critics.
"We're aware of the opposition camp's concern about large conglomerates seizing
control of nationwide broadcasters," a GNP lawmaker said.
"As long as Speaker Kim decides to present the media bills to the plenary
session, the ruling party is willing to submit revisions of the bills," he said
on condition of anonymity.
The bipartisan conflict further escalated earlier this week, as the GNP
unilaterally introduced the media industry reform bills to a vote at the
Assembly's Culture, Sports, Tourism Committee, triggering a sit-in protest by DP
lawmakers.
In a related development, the Assembly speaker suddenly called off a plenary
session slated for Friday afternoon, raising speculation that he may attempt to
arbitrarily introduce the long-overdue media and economic reform bills at next
week's plenary session.
"The decision to cancel Friday's plenary session was made to allow the rival
parties more time to deliberate on the contentious bills," an aide for Kim said.
Acting on the speaker's instruction, the Assembly secretariat also announced a
decision to strictly regulate the entry of lawmakers and their aides into all
Assembly halls, beginning Friday afternoon.
However, political analysts say Kim's decision may be intended to prevent
opposition lawmakers from occupying the Assembly's main hall until the end of the
special session. They explained the speaker may be concerned that opposition
lawmakers would refuse to leave the main hall after a Friday plenary session to
stage a sit-in.
The 82-seat DP has long feared that the GNP, controlling 171 seats in the
299-member unicameral parliament, may convene a unilateral session before Tuesday
to ram through the controversial bills.
DP lawmakers had already foiled the GNP's unilateral legislative move through an
illegal occupation of the plenary session hall for nearly two weeks between late
December and early January.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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