South Korea’s Democratic Party on Friday unveiled plans to impose far heavier financial penalties on media outlets for publishing false or manipulated reports. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Democratic Party on Friday unveiled plans to impose far heavier financial penalties on media outlets for publishing false or manipulated reports, vowing to pass the legislation before the Chuseok holiday on Oct. 6.
At a press briefing, the party’s special committee on media reform said it would introduce a “multiple damages” system under the Press Arbitration Act, allowing courts to award compensation several times greater than the actual damages if false reporting is proven to have been intentional or negligent.
Unlike current statutes, which cap punitive awards at three to five times the damages under laws such as the Personal Information Protection Act, the proposed revisions would set no upper limit.
The bill would apply not only to traditional media but also to platforms such as YouTube. Compensation levels would vary depending on factors such as the scope of distribution, whether the report was original or cited, and the degree of intent or gross negligence.
The committee stressed that the framework would not require proving “malice” and that negligence alone could trigger enhanced liability.
Democratic lawmakers rejected the label “punitive damages,” insisting the framework should be called “multiple damages,” though they conceded the amounts envisioned would exceed existing legal standards.
They added that safeguards would require complainants to first seek mediation through the Press Arbitration Commission, limiting the ability of powerful figures to bypass arbitration and immediately pursue enlarged claims.
Still, the measure leaves room for politicians and government officials to sue media outlets, raising fears about a chilling effect on reporting. Presidential communications chief Lee Kyu-yeon this week urged caution, saying even elected officials’ ability to bring such claims must be weighed carefully.
The proposal also calls for stronger requirements on corrections, obligating outlets to publish retractions with the same prominence and length as the original reports.
The Democratic Party has pledged to bundle the media bill with broader judicial and labor reforms, pressing to push all three through the National Assembly before the October holiday, despite warnings from journalists and legal scholars that the measures could curb press freedom.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
