Ruling party vows to push media reforms amid parliamentary deadlock

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak's ruling conservative party
vowed Tuesday to unilaterally pass a controversial media bill next week despite
fierce opposition from rivaling parties.
President Lee is seeking legal revisions that would allow cross ownership of
newspapers and terrestrial and cable news channels. Critics oppose the revisions,
slamming them as "pro-conglomerate" as only a handful of media outlets have the
needed financial resources to move into other media sectors.
Rep. Na Kyung-won, a ranking Grand National Party (GNP) member, said her party
will put the bill to vote at the National Assembly culture and media committee by
Monday with or without agreement from the main opposition party.
Na met with her Democratic Party (DP) counterpart Jun Byung-hun earlier Tuesday,
but failed to iron out differences over the scope and detailed conditions
regarding cross-media ownership.
The parliamentary extraordinary session opened on June 26, but committee meetings
have been crippled by boycotts and sit-in protests by the opposition party.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)