The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 10th passed the so-called "false or manipulated information eradication law (amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection)" led by the Democratic Party of Korea.
The Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a full session at the National Assembly that afternoon, introduced the amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and voted to approve it. The People Power Party opposed the bill and walked out en masse.
The core of the amendment is that if someone knowingly causes damage by intentionally using illegal information or false or manipulated information, that person must pay up to five times the amount of the damage. The regulation targets "those who make a business of delivering facts or opinions to an unspecified number of people through an information and communications network."
Media organizations offered the view that punitive damage claim rights for those in power—such as politicians, public officials, executives of large companies, and major shareholders—should be limited, but this was not reflected. The Democratic Party, however, says it strengthened the "strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP)" clause to put in place a mechanism to block abuse of lawsuits by the powerful. A strategic lawsuit against public participation refers to claiming damages with the aim of chilling public-interest speech.
A person sued for damages may apply to the court for an interlocutory judgment (dismissal) if the person determines it constitutes a strategic lawsuit against public participation. If the claimant is a public office candidate, head of a public institution, or an executive of a large company, the court must order publication of the dismissal judgment.
On the 10th, at the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee of the National Assembly, the amendment was put to a vote and passed under the lead of the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party, while the People Power Party collectively walked out in protest of what it called a unilateral move. At the time, People Power Party members on the committee labeled the amendment an "online gag law" and opposed it.
The Democratic Party plans to introduce the amendment at a plenary session on the 22nd for a vote. The People Power Party is expected to launch a filibuster (a lawful obstruction of proceedings through unlimited debate) in opposition to the bill.