A bill known as the “University Press Law,” which guarantees the freedom and independence of university press, has been proposed. While some view it as a crucial step toward overcoming the structural limitations of university press, others have raised concerns about its effectiveness.

On March 3rd, Channel PNU confirmed that Representative Jung Eul-Ho of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA Education Committee, introduced an amendment of the Higher Education Law on November 22nd of 2024. This amendment includes a newly established Article 19-4, which legally guarantees the freedom and independence of university press and requires universities to ensure autonomous editorial and operational control. This bill, an extension of a previous proposal by Representative Yoon Young-Deok in 2022, was slightly modified before being reintroduced. Representative Jung expressed hope that this bill would lay the foundation for resolving the structural challenges faced by university press.

According to the Univ.Journalist Network, at least 38 cases of university press suppression were documented between 1991 and 2022. Channel PNU’s findings published on November 8th, 2024 highlight various cases in this context, including 19 cases of print publishing and distribution suspensions, 14 cases of article deletions and censorship, 11 instances of journalist dismissals and disciplinary actions, and 5 cases of discontinued financial support.” Student reporters have resisted through publishing blank pages,organizing protests and other actions; however, due to the structural limitations of being affiliated with university institutions, workable solutions have surfaced to light. Representative Jung stated, “This amendment will serve as the first legal basis to clearly guarantee the freedom and independence of university press,” adding that it will act as a legal mechanism to prevent unjust interference by university administrations.

This is not the first time a “University Press Law” has been proposed. In the 22nd National Assembly, Representative Yoon Young-Deok of the Democratic Party of Korea introduced a similar bill, but it failed to gain traction and was discarded at the end of the legislative session. To increase the chances of passage, the current amendment omits previous provisions related to student autonomy and state or local government support for university press operations. Representative Jung Eul-Ho explained, “Certain provisions were excluded due to concerns raised by the government during the legislative review process.” Cha Jong-Gwan (former head, Univ Alli) who had collaborated on the original bill proposal, also stated, “These provisions were highly debated even at the time of the initial proposal. For this time, efforts were made to minimize potential disputes about them.”

However, critics argue that the amendment of University Press Law has been watered down, making it insufficient to fully guarantee the independence and freedom of university press. While the law itself is a positive step, there’s an argument that additional alternatives are needed to ensure university press freedom. Former head Cha stated, “It is meaningful to establish legal protections that allow university media to operate independently without university administration interference. However, even if this bill passes, it is unlikely to dramatically improve the actual working conditions of university reporters.” Kim Jae-Hyun (Dept. of English Language Education, Chonnam National University), a student reporter from CNU News, remarked, “The University Press Law is essential for ensuring press freedom without external pressure, but the amendment alone will not resolve financial difficulties caused by budget cuts and a lack of support.”

Reporter Jung Yoon-Seo

Translated by Seo Yoo-Jung