Heated Controversy Over KBS Broadcast License Fee Increase... What Are Your Thoughts?

Hansanghyuk "Reconsidering the Funding Structure of Public Broadcasting"
KBS, License Fee Accounts for 46% of Total Funding
Far Lower Compared to UK's BBC and Japan's NHK
Experts "License Fee System Must First Secure 'Legitimacy'"

Hansanghyeok, nominee for Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, is answering questions at the confirmation hearing held on the 20th by the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As calls to raise the license fee to resolve the deficit issue of public broadcasting grow louder, a heated debate is expected. The ruling party emphasizes the need to fundamentally change the revenue structure of public broadcasting, while the opposition party is in conflict, arguing that issues such as KBS's loss of reporting fairness and management failures must be addressed first.

On the 20th, Han Sang-hyuk, nominee for chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, responded to questions about the necessity of raising the public broadcasting license fee at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee confirmation hearing, saying, "It is impossible to resolve the current difficulties of terrestrial broadcasting with just some deregulation including advertising," and added, "We are in a situation where we fundamentally need to reconsider the funding structure of public broadcasting."

However, regarding the actual possibility of raising the KBS license fee, he said, "There will be many difficulties," emphasizing, "Only when there are self-help efforts and reform plans for public broadcasting can we gain (public) consent."

On the same day, lawmakers from the Democratic Party raised their voices that the license fee should be increased to secure funding for public broadcasting. Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Sang-ho emphasized, "We cannot keep the KBS license fee frozen for 40 years," adding, "It should be increased with public consent to an appropriate level, creating a virtuous cycle where KBS reduces advertising and other broadcasters receive the surplus."

This is not the first time calls for raising the public broadcasting license fee have emerged. Earlier, Yang Seung-dong, president of KBS, also included a plan to raise the license fee in the 'Management Innovation Plan' announced on the 1st and stated that a 'License Fee Realization Promotion Team' would be launched.

Currently, the license fee KBS receives is 2,500 KRW per household per month, amounting to a total of 670.5 billion KRW last year, accounting for 46% of the total funding of 1.4566 trillion KRW. Compared to advanced overseas public broadcasters like the UK's BBC and Japan's NHK, where the license fee accounts for 70% and 90% of total funding respectively, this is relatively low.

KBS Yeouido Building / Photo by Yonhap News

As a result, there have been consistent calls to raise the public broadcasting license fee by more than 1,000 KRW to increase the license fee ratio to 70% and solve the deficit problem. According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service's electronic disclosure system, KBS recorded an operating loss of 75.9 billion KRW last year, marking three consecutive years of deficits.

On the other hand, the opposition party criticizes that discussing a license fee increase amid various controversies over program fairness and management issues is inappropriate.

Heo Eun-ah, a lawmaker from the United Future Party, said, "Is it worth raising the license fee for a public broadcaster that has lost fairness?" and claimed, "(KBS news) reported unverified content and apologized within a day."

She also pointed out the quality of broadcasting content as a problem. She questioned, "I don't even know if it's worth paying more license fees," and added, "When talking about public broadcasting's financial issues, the public is not paying taxes to listen to abusive language and insults."

Park Dae-chul, also from the United Future Party, raised concerns about KBS's reporting fairness, saying, "The three years of the Moon Jae-in government have been three years of broadcasting control," and "Key figures of the regime spew poisonous words, and the servile broadcasters go even further."

Public broadcasters KBS and MBC / Photo by Yonhap News

As political conflicts deepen over whether to raise the public broadcasting license fee, public reactions are divided.

Office worker A (28) said, "Before raising the license fee, we need to see if public broadcasting is making sincere efforts to reform," expressing opposition to the fee increase by saying, "I refuse to pour taxes into a bottomless pit."

Another office worker B (27) emphasized, "It's more unfair to be forced to pay the license fee when I hardly watch TV in the first place," and added, "If they don't provide worthwhile programs, there should be no license fee increase."

On the other hand, there were also responses in favor of raising the license fee. Office worker C in their 30s said, "Although there are many issues, public broadcasting plays an important role in delivering neutral reporting and public interest information," and added, "If the self-help plan raises the fee only to a level that does not burden ordinary people, I think it is acceptable."

Experts suggest that before discussing a license fee increase, the 'legitimacy' of the public broadcasting license fee system must first be secured.

Professor Hwang Geun from Sunmoon University's Department of Media Communication pointed out, "Our public broadcasting is entrenched in 'political parallelism' and 'patronage' coexisting with political power, threatening its fairness."

He continued, "The starting point for resolving this is to break free from the political dependency structure, legitimize the license fee system, and establish a governance structure that reflects political and social diversity," explaining, "It would be possible to introduce a British-style dual regulatory model where public broadcasting is operated by an independent regulatory body separate from politics, with members obligatorily allocated from government-recommended personnel based on expertise and regional representation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.