Opposition takes media law confrontation to streets ahead of court ruling

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) was poised
to take to the streets Tuesday to protest railroaded media law revisions, as
their campaign to nullify the legislation intensified with a legal battle.
Party members were set to stage street rallies near party headquarters in
southern Seoul and in Sinchon, a bustling college district, later Tuesday,
according to party officials.
The move comes a week after the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) unilaterally
passed three revision bills allowing private businesses and major newspapers to
own significant stakes in broadcast firms.
Ahead of the vote, the National Assembly descended into chaos as the opposition
attempted to physically block the legislation. The GNP holds 169 seats out of the
255-member unicameral house.
The validity of the revisions, however, is now being deliberated by the
Constitutional Court on suspicion that some of the GNP's votes were cast by
legislative aides.
"We plan to take our cause to the streets to better communicate with the people
and win their support for our struggle," DP chairman Rep. Chung Sye-kyun said at
a ceremony marking the launch of street rallies.
"We will focus all our efforts to successfully complete our struggle and annul
the evil media law revisions," said Chung, who offered to give up his National
Assembly seat last week, taking responsibility for his party's failure to block
the controversial bills.
The resignation wil become effective only through a parliamentary vote or if the
Assembly speaker accepts it.
Chung's party has long argued the revisions sought to allow the government to
take control of the country's news outlets. Only a handful of conglomerates and
conservative dailies have the resources to jump into broadcasting, sidelining
diverse voices often critical of the government.
President Lee Myung-bak dismissed those accusations Monday, saying the time when
a political force could control the media has long passed.
The opposition party plans to hold street rallies in major cities throughout the
country. Party officials say the rallies will continue for 100 days from Tuesday,
which would take them well into the regular parliamentary session in September.
The GNP, for its part, continued to attack the opposition party, calling the
rallies an attempt to pressure the Constitutional Court.
"We urge the Democratic Party to immediately stop all its activities that are not
only illegal but are also politically motivated," GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo
said in a party meeting.
The DP filed the initial complaint with the Constitutional Court, asking it to
nullify last week's media law revisions because at least 17 votes were cast by
colleagues or aides of GNP lawmakers -- a claim that could make last week's votes
void if proven.
The ruling party again dismissed the opposition's argument, and blamed the DP for
the violence in last week's session.
"The Grand National Party will not react to every single accusation, but will
certainly take stern measures against them," the GNP floor leader said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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