Ruling Party: "Double Damages for False Reports, Intentional or Negligent"... Pushing for Punitive Damages for Media

YouTube Also Subject to Sanctions... "Higher Than Current 3-5x Standard, No Separate Cap"

False Reports Subject to Damages Even Without Malice... Suggests Politicians May Also File Claims

Democratic Party Media Reform Special Committee Press Briefing (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Dong-ju = Representative Noh Jong-myeon speaks during a press briefing held by the Democratic Party's Media Reform Special Committee at the National Assembly Member's Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 5th. 2025.9.5 pdj6635@yna.co.kr

The Democratic Party of Korea, which has pledged to pass its self-styled reform legislation in three major areas—including the media—by the Chuseok holiday (October 6), announced on the 5th that it will effectively introduce punitive damages for "false and manipulated reports" by the media.

To this end, the Democratic Party's Media Reform Special Committee announced at a press briefing that day that it would amend the Act on Press Arbitration and Remedies to allow claims for damages amounting to many times the actual loss for false reports caused by media negligence or intent.

The special committee has decided to introduce a "multiple damages" system through legal amendments, where the amount of compensation is determined as a multiple of the damages incurred due to false or manipulated media reports.

There will be no separate upper limit on the compensation, and the amount will be calculated differentially based on factors such as intent, gross negligence, and whether the report was direct or cited.

Regarding the scale of punitive damages, the Democratic Party's policy is to set it higher than the current 3-5 times level found in other laws, such as the Personal Information Protection Act.

The committee also stated it would keep the door open for further increases in compensation depending on the ripple effect of the report or the degree of intent.

However, the committee did not specify exactly how many times the damages would be capped.

Multiple damages will be applied when it is proven that the subject of a report, citation, or mediation is false and that there was intent or gross negligence in the process of reporting, citing, or mediating. In this case, whether the report was motivated by "malice" is not distinguished.

The intention is to effectively introduce punitive damages for the very act of a false report by the media, regardless of whether it was intentional or negligent.

The committee has also decided to include YouTube under the scope of the regulations.

To achieve this, they are considering either explicitly naming YouTube when amending the Press Arbitration Act or simultaneously amending the Press Arbitration Act and the Information and Communications Network Act.

The committee argued, "The term 'multiple damages' is more appropriate than 'punitive damages' for this amendment," adding, "The level of multiple damages under the Press Arbitration Act being considered by the committee is higher than the current 3-5 times, but it does not reach the concept of 'punishment'."

The committee stated it has also prepared mechanisms to prevent reckless damage claims by those in power.

One such method is to require mediation through the Press Arbitration Commission before filing a claim, and to specify that if the party disagrees with the Commission's decision, they may only file for general damages rather than multiple damages.

The committee is also considering a plan that would allow for an interim ruling regarding reports related to public interest.

The burden of proof for the media's intent or gross negligence falls on the victim filing for multiple damages, and the criteria for presuming intent or gross negligence will be separately defined.

However, the committee's policy is not to block those in power from filing "multiple damage claims" against the media entirely.

Previously, Lee Gyu-yeon, Senior Secretary to the President for Public Communication, responded in a media interview on the 3rd to a moderator's question—"Isn't it problematic to introduce a punitive damages system for reports targeting the government or politicians?"—by stating, "Shouldn't we approach cautiously the inclusion of even the ability for politicians to sue (the media)?"

Additionally, the committee plans to strengthen the obligation for media outlets to display correction notices and to mandate that corrections be issued in the same format and length as the original false report.