Opposition party brings up ”Yahoo! LINE issue” in political battle... Ministry of Science and ICT ”empty-handed meeting” expected to go ahead = Korean report

The so-called "LINE/Yahoo problem," triggered by the Japanese government's administrative guidance to induce the Korean company Naver to sell its shares, has escalated into a clash between the ruling and opposition parties.
It has been pointed out that the Democratic Party and other opposition parties have taken this issue too far in their political maneuvering to bring it into a political battle. According to political circles, the Democratic Party of Korea held a meeting with the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on the 16th at 2 p.m.
The Democratic Party lawmakers from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Technology have submitted a petition requesting the convening of a general meeting of the National Assembly and are planning to hold an emergency questioning session on issues such as the Yahoo! Line issue.
They are also calling for the attendance of Science, ICT and Technology Minister Lee Jong-ho and other relevant parties as witnesses. However, the People Power Party is unlikely to attend the meeting due to its opposition to the political infighting within the opposition parties.
The party is expected to face difficulties as it is unable to hold discussions on the matter. In the end, when the Science, ICT and Communications Committee was held on the 16th, only opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Party and other parties attended, and only made critical remarks about the ruling party.
The meeting is expected to be an obvious "empty-handed meeting" with the agenda and then immediately adjourned. The Democratic Party of Korea said on the same day that if the Science, ICT and Communications Committee meeting was not held due to the ruling party's refusal,
The plan is to convene the Diet again on the 20th or 21st. This decision takes into consideration the schedule for the plenary session of the 21st and final National Assembly on the 28th of this month and the period for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to consider and vote on items.
Cho Seung-rye, a member of the opposition Science, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "We need to urgently discuss in the National Assembly the issue of the seizure of LINE from Naver in Japan and the delayed response from the Korean government.
"If the government's response is insufficient and passive, then we must point out in the Diet that there is a problem with the Japanese government's response," he said.
Opposition parties such as the Democratic Party of Korea have criticized the Yahoo! LINE issue as a "subservient diplomacy toward Japan" by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, saying that "anti-Japanese sentiment"
The South Korean government should take up this issue as a diplomatic matter between the two countries, publicly protest to the Japanese government, and strongly demand the withdrawal of administrative guidance that induces South Korean companies to sell their shares.
On the 13th, Cho Kuk, the leader of the Nationalist Party of Korea, visited Takeshima and commented on the Yahoo and LINE issues, saying, "There is no worse submission than this. This is no longer a pro-Japan government; it is a Japan-worshiping government."
In response, the ruling party has used the LINE Yahoo issue as an excuse to take a counter-position, arguing that the anti-Japanese political struggle waged by the opposition party is not in the national interest.
The report, which the company requested Samsung Electronics to submit to include measures to strengthen information security, did not include the sale of Naver-related shares.
People Power plans to prioritize Naver's wishes and encourage an organic response with the government.
In a phone interview with E-Daily on the same day, Chief Vice Chairman Nai said, "Because this is an issue that concerns the national interest, the ruling and opposition parties must come together and address it together," and added, "The President's Office has also made its position clear.
"We will also take action to ensure that the government responds appropriately," he said.