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Rep. Noh Jong-myun, a member of the ruling Democratic Celebration of Korea’s particular committee on media reform, speaks to reporters on the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul, Dec. 14, 2025. Newsis
The ruling Democratic Celebration of Korea is advancing a brand new spherical of media laws, prompting fear amongst civil liberties teams that the measures may broaden the federal government’s authority to limit on-line information and form public discourse.
The brand new push comes regardless of considerations raised by america and worldwide organizations, together with UNESCO, over Korea’s lately enacted “anti-fake information” legislation, a revision of the Info and Communications Community Act set to take impact in July, following President Lee Jae Myung’s approval.
Rep. Yang Moon-seok launched a invoice final week to create a brand new “proper to request the blocking of reports articles.” The measure would permit individuals who declare hurt from on-line reporting to demand that particular articles be successfully faraway from public circulation.
Beneath the proposal, folks alleging that they’ve suffered privateness violations or defamation from on-line media may file a request to have the related article blocked from information websites and search engines like google and yahoo. Present legislation permits victims of false information to hunt correction, rebuttal or compensation, however the authentic articles sometimes stay searchable and readable. The invoice is designed to make it doable to stop entry altogether.
There are three circumstances underneath which such a request might be made: When the headline or primary content material of a report isn’t truthful; when a report infringes the “core sphere” of an individual’s non-public life similar to sexual identification; or when the content material of the report constantly infringes a person’s private rights.
Though the invoice contains an exception for reporting on issues of public concern, critics say the obscure language would nonetheless encourage preemptive removing of crucial tales.
“I’m involved that it will successfully push the media into self‑censorship. It clashes with the spirit of free speech assured underneath Article 19 of the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Korea has ratified,” a authorized skilled at a rights group instructed The Korea Occasions on Wednesday.
The legislative transfer comes alongside a separate try and tighten press controls led by Rep. Noh Jong-myun, who can also be a member of the ruling get together.
The proposal would broaden the attain and lifespan of authorized legal responsibility for the press.
Considered one of its most disputed provisions would widen the suitable to demand corrections or rebuttals. Present legislation limits that proper to factual reporting, excluding opinion items like editorials and columns. The invoice would take away that distinction, opening even commentary to formal rebuttal requests and regulatory scrutiny.
The invoice additionally dramatically extends the time window for looking for corrections.
Beneath present guidelines, requests should be filed inside three months of an individual studying of a report and inside six months of its publication. Noh’s modification would lengthen that window to so long as two years, whereas additionally setting out detailed necessities for the format, placement and prominence of correction notices.
The get together superior an analogous proposal to dam articles in 2021, however later withdrew it after a coalition of home and worldwide human rights teams, together with Human Rights Watch, warned that the measure may permit public figures and influential teams to take away crucial or uncomfortable reporting from the web underneath the guise of defending victims.
The U.S. has more and more emphasised media freedom and open digital areas as central pillars of its alliances, whereas additionally expressing rising concern concerning the growth of state censorship and authorities management over info.
In a report for its 2025-2030 strategic plan, launched final week, the U.S. State Division raised considerations about restrictions imposed by overseas governments on free speech and warned it is going to counter them “by way of all acceptable means together with visa and monetary sanctions.”
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