Fighting Breaks Out in South Korean Parliament

Today in South Korean parliament, a fight broke out when opposing sides came to a disagreement about several media reform bills. I suppose "fight" is a weak word, considering the number of people involved, and the amount of punches thrown. Both men and women were guilty of screaming, jumping onto the speaker's podium, and tearing one another to the ground. According to the Associated Press, "the bills ease ownership barriers between print media and TV networks. One of them allows businesses including newspapers to buy up to 10 percent of a terrestrial TV channel, and up to 30 percent of a cable channel." The same article also mentions South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak's desire to de-regulate the media in an attempt to create jobs, although many argue that more conservative, government run networks will be formed.

The question is, why the violence? Opposition members barred doors so that no one could exit. This is surely not the first time a fight has been started due to politics, but what, within the media of South Korea, is crucial enough to start such controversy?

Naturally, I take this idea back to America, and imagine Barbara Boxer trying to take down Orrin Hatch over women's reproductive rights, and wonder the likelihood of such violence occurring within our own government? With politicians pitted against one another on health care, the economy, and much more, who knows what will happen before the August recession in congress?

Photo courtesy of D I E G O on Flickr