Jang Dong-hyuk condemns South Korea's new online speech law as 'mouth‑covering law

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk criticised the revised Information and Communications Network Act set to take effect on July 7, calling it the “입틀막법” or “mouth‑covering law” that will silence opposition comments online. He warned that the law permits fines of up to 10 billion won for alleged fake news and could be used to suppress dissent, warning it paves the way for authoritarian rule.

Jang also attacked the Democratic Party’s plan to introduce a special prosecutor for the election‑commission voting‑paper shortage, labeling it a “bed‑special prosecutor” and insisting that any special prosecutor should be nominated by the opposition with unlimited investigative scope. He further criticised the party’s proposal to temporarily suspend rebalancing of the National Pension Fund’s domestic stock holdings, arguing it aims to protect large‑cap stocks such as Samsung and Hynix from sell‑offs and threatens youth assets.

During a National Assembly meeting, Jang wore a black mask to draw attention to what he described as the law’s unfairness before removing it and continuing his remarks.