Assemblyman Lee Byung-hoon "In-depth Discussion Needed on Standard Broadcasting Contracts"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] There are criticisms that including the use of standard contracts as a condition for the re-licensing review of the three terrestrial broadcasters approaching the end of this year is somewhat an excessive demand.

On the 7th, analysis of the National Assembly inspection data submitted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, by Assemblyman Lee Byung-hoon (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Dong-gu Nam-gu Eul), revealed that the "Joint Inspection and Survey for the Realization of Standard Contracts in the Broadcasting Industry," scheduled from September to December this year, has not even started.

Currently, the Korea Communications Commission is reviewing whether to re-license 22 broadcasting operators, including the three terrestrial broadcasters KBS, MBC, and SBS, whose broadcasting licenses under the Broadcasting Act expire on December 31, 2020, and plans to notify the review results by December, the end of this year.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested the Korea Communications Commission to include the use of standard contracts in the broadcasting industry as a condition for the re-licensing review during this process. This is because the failure to establish standard contracts in the broadcasting industry has frequently caused damage to industry workers due to unfair contracts.

However, broadcasters have strongly opposed this. Currently, most freelancers use standard contracts, but for the numerous personnel employed on a daily or short-term basis through dispatch, subcontracting, or other fixed-term contracts, it is realistically difficult to use standard contracts.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is aware of this situation and mentioned the realization of standard contracts, stating that it would conduct joint inspections and surveys together with the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

However, the joint inspections and surveys scheduled from September to December this year have not started even by last month, and it is understood that on-site meetings are being held with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Korea Communications Commission, and related organizations to discuss which areas to inspect.

Assemblyman Lee Byung-hoon pointed out, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s mention of the 'realization of standard contracts in the broadcasting industry' seems to partially acknowledge that the current standard contracts have a gap when applied to reality. Forcing the addition of a standard contract that does not reflect the voices from the field as a condition for the re-licensing of the three terrestrial broadcasters approaching the end of the year, without even deciding which areas to investigate and how, seems somewhat excessive."

He continued, "Standard contracts in the broadcasting industry are definitely necessary for fair contract conclusion for industry workers and are an essential task to be established in the industry. First, in-depth discussions must be held to create standard contracts that reflect the reality of the broadcasting industry."

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