Ruling Party Passes Fake News Law in What Opposition Calls Attempt to Control the Media Before Next Year’s Election
The problem with this bill is who defines what fake news is? The last ROK President was impeached in part with help from fake news which the people pushing this bill didn’t mind at the time:
![Opposition People Power Party lawmakers attempt to block the approval of an amendment to the Press Arbitration Act by Culture Committee Chairman Do Jong-hwan on Thursday. [YONHAP]](https://i0.wp.com/koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2021/08/19/4403d723-8178-4a80-9db3-fd5191db71a6.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Ruling Democratic Party (DP) members on a parliamentary committee Thursday approved a bill that would impose a five-fold increase in penalties on media outlets that make false or fraudulent news reports, ignoring protests from opposition lawmakers and media associations.
Joong Ang Ilbo
The proposal – an amendment to the existing Press Arbitration Act – was passed at a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee by its DP lawmakers and after a boycott by protesting opposition lawmakers.
You can read more at the link, but it is arguable that the Korean left is trying to control the media prior to next year’s Presidential election.
To be fair, both the left and right wing press here in Korea have perpetuated false and sensational reporting based on unverified information.
If this law helps keep them in check and makes them behave, I’m for it.
Anyways, let’s see how this plays out.
To be fair, the limiting of politics to a 2-dimensional view is very Marxist. This 3D view is perhaps a better representation; but still very limiting–people are not really monolithic in their beliefs without an oppressive regime, jack-booted thugs, and resource constraints. Not Biden supporters, not Trump supporters, and not even Norks.
@TOK, I have little faith that whoever is in power won’t use this law to squash so called “fake news” that is critical of them while turning a blind eye to “fake news” aimed at their opposition. If this law was in effect when Choi’s tablet PC was being broadcast by JTBC does anyone think the Korean left would have been clamoring to ban it as fake news?
Commies being commies, next get some more of those chinese voting machines to rig the election.
@GIKorea, coming from the fake news factory of the world country, and a devoted fan and underling of Trump….you’re the one to talk to say you have no ‘faith’ in Korea’s power in charge… ha ha ha…
@GIKorea
Unlike Singapore, where the government takes a somewhat active role when it comes to controlling the media, there is no structure for media control by the government here. But what there is control within the media by the management of the media outlets who let their political views spill over to the employees responsible for writing and producing the stories that show up in the outlets.
The law in question does not create a government body or structure for media control. It increases the liability for the media outlet in question if and when they are accused for alleged dissemination of “fake news.”
In the US, I believe people can sue a media outlet over alleged “fake news” or false reporting. So, the law is no different than the case of the US.
And I believe that the media outlets in question will hire the top law firms of Korea and other legal consultants and try to figure out countermeasures and loopholes if and when the law is passed.
Although I believe some discipline among the media outlets here in Korea is long overdue, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is little or no change in the reporting with the media outlets taking extra careful steps to cover their rear ends in case they get hit with a lawsuit.
So, despite all the hooplah, the fears of press censorship and such may be unfounded in the case of this law
American Media:
1. Find some random guy who did something that can be twisted into something they don’t like politically.
2. Generate buzz, clicks, and outrage by misrepresenting his action through edited video, omission of key information, and sometimes outright lies.
3. Make the target well known, a focus of other media outlets playing cartch-up, and a topic of online hate. Be sure to label his actions as a single example of a much larger epidemic.
4. Move to dismiss lawsuit because he is a public figure.
TOK is (purposely?) forgetting the investigations into journalists and prosecutors who had the temerity to ask impertinent questions of the current ruling party.
So be it.
Some people actively seek serfdom. Australia is struggling; but they already gave up their firearms, so it’s ultimately futile.
Afghanistan f’ed up. They trusted us with a Democrat in the White House.
All eyes on Taiwan. We’ll see who blinks first. But we hired a guy who worked (still?) for Susan Rice, she of the five Sunday talk shows blaming Libya on a YouTube video. He already got his ass handed to him by China. The Bidrn Crime Family collected a lot of money from China. Can’t see them giving that up for Taiwan.
Sorry Taiwan. Not all of us want to abandon you; but we’re not the decision-makers.
@setnaffa,
This law is not the earth shattering press censorship/dictatorship law that is being portrayed here.
It’s probably just another nuisance to the media outlets here. With a few editorials criticizing the law, which is expected, the media outlets aren’t making a big fuss out of it.
As for the investigations into journalists and prosecutors, well it’s a never ending cycle among politicians here. Regardless of the press laws, revenge politics has been and is the norm here, so we will probably keep seeing it,
Besides, without the usual shennanigans of Korean politics, GIKorea will have a hard time posting stuff, and as the last man standing, I think we all hate to see that happen.
TOK, the problem with the law is that it legitimizes the censorship.
We’ll see how it’s used. I believe it will be used to silence all critics of whomever is in power.
But I would love to be proven wrong.
“In the US, I believe people can sue a media outlet over alleged “fake news” or false reporting. ”
Not exactly. The first amendment to the US Constitution let’s news outlets say pretty much anything they want. But…they could be sued (for libel or slander) if they print or say something that is both (a) untrue and (b) causes harm (e.g. damaging to a persons reputation). This is more like Korea’s anti-defamation laws than the “fake news” law that is being discussed here. Although from what I understand, Korea’s defamation law applies even if the damaging report is true. In the US, if something is damaging but it’s true, then it’s fair game to report it.