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Lawmakers (L, bottom) of the main opposition Democratic Party tries to block a vice speaker of the National Assembly from passing controversial bills as security guards and the ruling Grand National Party's lawmakers block him at the National Assembly main chamber in Seoul July 22, 2009. The National Assembly on Wednesday approved a set of disputed bills centred on allowing newspapers and conglomerates to own stakes in broadcasting stations, amid a boycott by opposition lawmakers who accuse the government of attempting to rein in domestic media organizations, Yonhap reported. [Agencies]
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As the vice parliamentary speaker announced the passage of one bill, parliamentary security guards rushed to cover him for fears that opposition lawmakers might hurl something, which has happened in the past. The deputy speaker is affiliated with the ruling party.
The main opposition Democratic Party said the voting had procedural problems and it will seek a court injunction to invalidate the move.
"The National Assembly, the hall of the people's will, was brutally trampled and infringed upon today," the party said in a statement.
The ruling Grand National Party rejected the claim and accused the opposition of using violence and of being insincere during negotiations to find a compromise on the bills.
"This kind of tragedy should never be repeated again," it said in a statement.
The Grand National Party controls the 294-member unicameral National Assembly with 169 seats. The main opposition Democratic Party has 84 seats.
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Legislators of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) scuffle with lawmakers of the opposition Democratic Party (DP) at the National Assembly in Seoul, capital of South Korea, on July 22, 2009. South Korea's National Assembly passed the government-proposed media reform bill on Wednesday amid harsh objections from the DP. Many of the DP lawmakers, while harshly protesting against the passage, got injured, with at least one of them being sent to hospital. [Xinhua]
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