South Korean United Democratic Party's Chung Dong-Young, pictured in 2008, Thursday challenged a decision by the election watchdog to restrict the use of the Twitter microblogging network for campaigning in the run-up to local polls.
A South Korean lawmaker Thursday challenged a decision by the election watchdog to restrict the use of the Twitter microblogging network for campaigning in the run-up to local polls.
Chung Dong-Young of the opposition Democratic Party said in a statement he filed a petition with the Constitutional Court.
"The limit on Twitter blocks the way to an open society and deprives us of the basic civil right of free speech, under the constitution," he said.
In a bid to stop elections from becoming overheated, the law allows the National Election Commission to specify what kind of material candidates and their supporters can distribute in the six months before voting.
The watchdog has decided that candidates will be free to use Twitter during the six-month period. But their supporters will not be allowed to use it for purposes of campaigning.
Chung said his petition was on behalf of 147 other opposition lawmakers and citizens who insist that the restriction is unconstitutional.
The National Election Commission said last month it would crack down on unauthorised Twitter users during campaigning before the June 2 nationwide elections for local authorities.
The election watchdog has opened its own Twitter account (http://twitter.com/nec3939) to monitor election-related postings and distribute poll guidelines.
It was not immediately clear whether the commission would have the power to block access or delete postings, or whether it would press charges against those who refuse to comply with its recommendations.
© 2010 AFP
