hankyoreh

July 22.

Laborers in the media industry have joined in with civic and social groups to slam the Grand National Party’s (GNP) for railroading through three media-related bills Wednesday, and say the GNP’s actions represent “an atrocity and outrage that destroys democracy.” The National Union of Media Workers (NUMW) says it will respond with a general strike and engage in a movement to force the Lee Myung-bak administration and the ruling party to resign.

NUMW Chairman Choi Sang-jae says to force through the media bills despite the opposition of the majority of citizens was in essence a parliamentary coup. He says the NUMW will fight to have the ruling party and Lee Myung-bak administration take responsibility and step down from power.

Kim Young-ho of the People’s Coalition for Media Reform says the National Assembly cannot make laws that go against the will of the people. Kim also says their actions to rush through these bills was a declaration of war on the citizenry, and in response the coalition will launch a struggle to nullify the laws. In a related manner, the Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media Joint Chairperson Jeong Yeon-u says the GNP has not represented the will of the people and instead has schemed to hold onto long-term power through party politics.

The Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) has issued a statement that says criticism of the GNP is now unavoidable. They describe the GNP’s attempt to monopolize public opinion by allowing conglomerates and conservative newspapers that represent the party’s base of support into broadcasting as serving the party’s vested interests over the public’s interests. CCEJ demands a complete overhaul of the bills that just passed.

The People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) has also issued a statement that says since the GNP has placed priority on forcing through law revisions that allow conglomerates and the Chosun, JoongAng and Dong-A dailies to dominate broadcasting while pushing aside pending issues of public welfare, they should be fired by the public. PSPD are claiming that resistance to the bills’ implementation, and also a massive judgment against the ruling party and the current administration, is coming.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]