Opposition Goes to Court Over 'Voting Fraud'

By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

A coalition of three opposition parties filed an injunction with the Constitutional Court, Thursday, to nullify the passage of a bill reforming the broadcasting sector, claiming the governing party violated the law during voting Wednesday.

The legal action came after the National Assembly revised a set of disputed media reform bills aimed at allowing newspapers and conglomerates to own stakes in broadcasting stations, amid a opposition boycott.

Initially, the voting for the broadcasting bill fell short of the required number of voters, but Assembly vice speaker Lee Yoon-sung of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) called for a second vote to pass the bill.

Rep. Lee presided over the balloting on behalf of speaker Kim Hyong-o, who couldn't enter the Assembly main chamber as opposition lawmakers blocked his way.

"The re-vote is a clear violation of the National Assembly Law so the passage is invalid," said Rep. Kim Jong-ryul of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP).

According to the National Assembly Secretariat, however, it was legitimate for the Assembly to vote again because the vice speaker nullified the initial voting after finding a technical error in the voting system.

In the past, the Assembly has voted again on the same bill on four occasions, the secretariat said in a statement.

The argument came as opposition parties are threatening to boycott all remaining sessions and take to the street to hold rallies to protest the passage of the bills.

The DP claimed many of the votes were cast not by lawmakers, but by their aides or colleagues, as most GNP legislators were unable to get to their own seats while the balloting was taking place.

DP Chairman Rep. Chung Sye-kyun and floor leader Lee Kang-rae said they will give up their Assembly seats in protest of what they called "voting fraud."

Rep. Choi Moon-soon of the DP, who served as president and CEO of MBC-TV, tendered his resignation to protest the votes.

"From now on, we will move outside of the Assembly to bring attention to all the wrongdoings of this government," Chung told reporters Wednesday.

The GNP controls 169 seats in the 299-member legislature, compared with the DP's 84 seats.

Thousands of unionized workers at the country's newspaper and television networks have gone on strike, but the government vowed a crackdown, saying the strike was illegal. Opposition parties are set to join the striking workers.

The governing camp is expected to take steps to ease public anxiety over the passage of media reform bills, but the National Assembly may remain in limbo for a while, according to analysts.

President Lee Myung-bak may replace some Cabinet ministers and presidential secretaries this or next week to make a breakthrough in the political stalemate.

Cheong Wa Dae made no official comment on the passage of the media bills, but appeared to be satisfied.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr