South Korea ruling party prepared to eradicate 'fake news'
AKA RIGHT WING HISTORICAL REVISIONISM
Lee Hae-chan (R), leader of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, condemned politicians who "distort history," in reference to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA-EFE
May 20 (UPI) -- South Korea's ruling party is supporting new laws that could punish people for disseminating "fake news," according to multiple press reports.
South Korea's Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan said Wednesday a new law designed to verify the truths of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising should also consider bringing to justice people who have conflicting interpretations of the events of 40 years ago, when the South Korean military quelled a pro-democracy movement, Yonhap and News 1 reported Wednesday.
Lee, a former prime minister under progressive President Roh Moo-hyun, told politicians at a meeting of the Democratic Party Supreme Council he takes issue specifically with Jee Man-won, a far-right politician who has said the uprising of May 18, 1980 included the participation of North Korean military personnel.
Jee has been the target of lawsuits from activists, who allege he created falsified documents to connect the Gwangju Uprising with the North Korean regime in Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, Lee said Jee was promoting "fake news," and engaging in "unscrupulous acts aimed in advancing his self-interest."
"Only with the consensus of the [South Korean people] can the spread of fake news be stopped," Lee said.
"It is truly deplorable. To distort the history of the Gwangju Uprising is to also violate the spirit of the [South Korean] Constitution."
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Park Kwang-on, a member of the DP Supreme Council, said the May 18 Special Law to "reveal the truth" must be passed, in order to lead the country down a path of reconciliation, News 1 reported.
Park also said it is necessary to investigate the facts, and "expand the authority" of inspectors.
"Tragic history repeats itself, unless people are duly punished for a systematic and widespread massacre of citizens."
Park Kwang-on, a member of the DP Supreme Council, said the May 18 Special Law to "reveal the truth" must be passed, in order to lead the country down a path of reconciliation, News 1 reported.
Park also said it is necessary to investigate the facts, and "expand the authority" of inspectors.
"Tragic history repeats itself, unless people are duly punished for a systematic and widespread massacre of citizens."
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Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who came to power after staging a military coup in 1979, has been blamed for ordering the crackdown against Gwangju protesters.
Chun is facing a libel lawsuit in connection to the events of Gwangju.
South Korea conservatives clash with Gwangju Uprising activists
A man pays his respects before a tomb at a national cemetery honoring those killed in the 1980 Gwangju democracy uprising in Gwangju, South Korea. File Photo by Yonhap/EPA
Feb. 8, 2019
(UPI) -- A group of lawmakers from South Korea's main conservative opposition invited a controversial politician to speak at a public hearing on the Gwangju Uprising -- a decision that angered activists who defend the pro-democracy movement.
The public hearing on Friday took place as a left-wing lawyers group called for the repatriation of the 12 North Korean waitresses and their manager brought to the South in 2016.
South Korean television network MBC reported a group of far-right lawmakers affiliated with the Liberty Korea Party hosted the "Public Hearing on the Investigation into the Truth of May 18," where politician Jee Man-won was the guest speaker.
Jee has been the target of lawsuits from activists, who allege he created falsified documents to connect the Gwangju Uprising with the North Korean regime in Pyongyang. Jee has claimed the uprising of May 18, 1980, included the participation of North Korean military personnel.
Right-wing politicians condemned the pro-democracy movement on Friday, including Kim Soon-rye of the Liberty Korea Party.
"Right now the pro-North Korea leftists are dominating, and creating an abominable group called the May 18 Figures of Merit that is draining taxpayer money," Kim said, referring to civic groups in South Korea that seek restitution for protesters wrongfully imprisoned or detained.
Other politicians said the pro-democracy protesters were rioters, and Jee praised former President Chun Doo-hwan as a hero; Chun was president when the government ordered a military crackdown against protesters.
The public hearing on Friday took place as a left-wing lawyers group called for the repatriation of the 12 North Korean waitresses and their manager brought to the South in 2016.
South Korean television network MBC reported a group of far-right lawmakers affiliated with the Liberty Korea Party hosted the "Public Hearing on the Investigation into the Truth of May 18," where politician Jee Man-won was the guest speaker.
Jee has been the target of lawsuits from activists, who allege he created falsified documents to connect the Gwangju Uprising with the North Korean regime in Pyongyang. Jee has claimed the uprising of May 18, 1980, included the participation of North Korean military personnel.
Right-wing politicians condemned the pro-democracy movement on Friday, including Kim Soon-rye of the Liberty Korea Party.
"Right now the pro-North Korea leftists are dominating, and creating an abominable group called the May 18 Figures of Merit that is draining taxpayer money," Kim said, referring to civic groups in South Korea that seek restitution for protesters wrongfully imprisoned or detained.
Other politicians said the pro-democracy protesters were rioters, and Jee praised former President Chun Doo-hwan as a hero; Chun was president when the government ordered a military crackdown against protesters.
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Gwangju activists disrupted the hearing and voiced their indignation during the event, according to MBC.
The dispute comes at a time of increased polarization in South Korea, where engagement with North Korea has been followed by debate on issues ranging from defectors to political allegiances.
Seoul Pyongyang News reported Friday the progressive Lawyers for a Democratic Society, or Minbyun, held a rally outside the presidential Blue House, calling on the government to repatriate a group of North Korean waitresses, and other defectors, including Kim Ryen-hi.
The dispute comes at a time of increased polarization in South Korea, where engagement with North Korea has been followed by debate on issues ranging from defectors to political allegiances.
Seoul Pyongyang News reported Friday the progressive Lawyers for a Democratic Society, or Minbyun, held a rally outside the presidential Blue House, calling on the government to repatriate a group of North Korean waitresses, and other defectors, including Kim Ryen-hi.
Kim is a North Korean woman in the South who has claimed she was abducted to the South.
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