Jang Dong-hyuk Calls New Information and Communications Law a 'Gag Law'

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, labeled the upcoming amendments to the Information and Communications Law as a "gag law," asserting that it aims to "blind and deafen the public while silencing them completely, leading to the completion of Lee Jae-myung's dictatorship."

During a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the morning of July 6, Jang stated, "This is an attempt to silence not only traditional media but also YouTubers ahead of the dismissal of charges." He and other council members wore black masks to symbolize the "gagging" situation.

He continued, "Starting tomorrow, the revised Information and Communications Law, or the so-called gag law, will take effect. The government can impose fines of up to 1 billion won simply by labeling something as fake news."

Jang criticized the current administration, saying, "Given the behavior of the Lee Jae-myung government so far, it is easy for them to label anything as fake news. Ultimately, this will silence all citizens, and comments opposing Lee Jae-myung will completely disappear online."

He added, "This is a law that even international media organizations are concerned about. Yet, the Democratic Party pushed it through, and the president responded with enforcement regulations."

Jang drew parallels to the situation in Hong Kong, where anti-government media were shut down and journalists imprisoned, stating, "In the end, President Lee Jae-myung will seek to amend the constitution for re-election, and the current discussions about a one-point constitutional amendment are just a buildup for that purpose."

Regarding the special investigation into the shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections, he emphasized that it should be led by opposition-recommended investigators with unlimited scope. He remarked, "This special investigation was demanded by the public from the start, and ultimately, the public ensured the Democratic Party's acceptance of it. The public desires a special investigation that is led by the opposition and has no limits on its scope."

He concluded, "Only then can the public trust the investigation results," warning the Democratic Party that if they continue to resist with a 'bedroom special investigation,' the speed of their downfall will only increase.