Seoul's real battle is not about free speech

Seoul's real battle is not solely about free speech, as initially perceived. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the chairman of Korea's Media and Communications Commission on Aug. 6, demanding an explanation of their enforcement plans for a new Korean law. This is an unprecedented occurrence in the history of the alliance between the two nations, which spanned seven decades.

The Korean public interprets this as a domestic dispute concerning free expression, which is partially correct. However, the issue extends beyond this surface-level interpretation, posing a more significant concern.

The letter's references to the Network Act are not arbitrary; they are part of a broader oversight campaign that has been ongoing for over a year. This campaign includes two staff reports on the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), a report titled "Europe's Decade-Long Campaign to Censor the Global Internet," as well as subpoenas issued to major American platforms regarding foreign censorship.

Additionally, a July report accuses Seoul of discrimination. Thus, the situation at hand transcends the realm of free speech and delves into the complexities of international regulatory policies and their impact on global internet censorship.