South Korea: National Assembly expected to vote on contentious broadcasting bill despite filibuster by main oppn
Seoul: The National Assembly is expected to vote on a controversial broadcasting bill aimed at reducing the government’s influence over public broadcasters Tuesday, when the main opposition’s filibuster in the parliamentary chamber to block the bill ends.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) launched the filibuster at around 4:01 p.m. the previous day, shortly after the ruling Democratic Party (DP) tabled a contentious amendment to the Broadcasting Act during a plenary session.
The proposed bill is part of three contentious broadcasting bills aimed at reforming the governance structure of the nation’s public broadcast media by weakening the government and the National Assembly’s power to name board directors, Yonhap news agency reported.
Under the revised Broadcasting Act, the board of directors at KBS will be expanded from 11 to 15 members.
The rival parties had clashed over the legislation, with the PPP arguing that the bills will only increase the presence of progressive figures on the boards of public broadcasters.
The DP, which currently holds a parliamentary majority with 167 out of 298 seats, plans to put the bill to a vote with minor opposition parties at around 4:01 p.m. Tuesday, before the Assembly’s July extraordinary session ends at midnight.
Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the PPP spoke for about eight hours in opposition to the bill.
The two remaining broadcasting bills, along with the so-called yellow envelope bill aimed at broadening labor protections and a revision to the Commercial Act, are expected to be handled in the August session.
A filibuster involves lawmakers holding the floor for extended periods as a way to prevent a parliamentary vote or delay the passage of a bill. Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be stopped after 24 hours if at least three-fifths of all parliament members, or 180 lawmakers, consent to it.