The Democratic Party of Korea on the night of the 28th revised the referendum act amendment, which is set to be introduced at the plenary session, to delete a clause that would allow punishment for spreading false information.
Floor spokesperson Baek Seung-a said after the caucus, "After hearing the views of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik and the opposition party, we made a comprehensive judgment," and stated accordingly.
The controversial clause in the referendum act amendment had stipulated that a person who continuously spread false information about early voting, the referendum, and ballot counting by using information and communications networks, with the intent to impede the National Election Commission's normal performance of duties or to undermine confidence in law enforcement, would face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of at least 5 million won and up to 30 million won.
The People Power Party has criticized the clause throughout the standing committee review process, saying it included content that, without bipartisan agreement, would categorically block public raising of issues about election administration and grant excessive authority to the National Election Commission.
The revised referendum act amendment is scheduled to be introduced at the plenary session on this day. Baek, the floor spokesperson, said of the penalty clause removed from the referendum act amendment, "We plan to push again by adding the relevant content to the Public Official Election Act going forward."
Earlier, on the 25th of last month, the Democratic Party also drastically revised, just before introduction, the bill on the crime of legal distortion, which had sparked constitutional controversy.