CHOSUN ILBO

Premier Begins Legislative Agenda With Major Curtailing of Press Independence

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(SEOUL) - Premier Yi Kwon spent the first few months of his term in office in a "caretaker" role, dealing with the consequence of former Premier Moon Jae-in's actions. While the Premier's Office took care to issue decrees to curtail a number of the former Premier's actions, including the Northern Economic Opportunity Act, the first major Grand National Restoration Party-led push through the legislature took place this past weekend.

With the Premier's endorsement, Interior Minister Yeom Daewon took the National Media Responsibility Act to the floor. The controversial bill, with the support of the entire governing coalition including the independent military Councillors, passed via a purely partisan vote of 81-69. The bill, among other things, declared that "press or media activity counter to the national interest" would be punishable by severe monetary consequences, as well as sizeable prison sentences for the authors of said media, and that "press or media activity in times of national concern must be coordinated with the Ministry of the Interior" - again with severe punishments for disobeying. Reporters Without Borders in Korea warned that the passage of the bill signaled a "severe regression" in press independence and freedom of the press.

Premier Yi Kwon disputed this, stating that "as one of the smaller state in an incredibly unstable world," Korea could not be risking "internal bad faith actors" disrupting the nation. The Premier discarded the Reporters Without Borders criticism as politically motivated and false.