Kim Ki-hyun: "KBS gave Kim Je-dong 700 million won despite deficits... Will not hesitate to boycott license fee"

In September 2018, broadcaster Kim Je-dong attended a press conference for the KBS 1TV current affairs program 'Tonight Kim Je-dong' and took part in a photo session.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] Kim Kihyun, the floor leader of the People Power Party, opposed KBS's plan to review the increase of the license fee, warning, "If necessary, we will not hesitate to launch a campaign to refuse the license fee."

At the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly main building on the morning of the 13th, Kim said, "If it were a normal institution, it would have naturally made efforts to restructure expenditures in a deficit situation, but KBS continued its extravagant salary parties with salaries in the hundreds of millions despite the deficit," adding, "Even though it was in deficit, it lavished appearance fees of 3.5 million won per episode and 700 million won annually on the representative polytainer Kim Jedong."

He stated, "The more serious problem is that while forcibly collecting the public license fee, which is practically a tax, the broadcast content is full of mocking the public and biased broadcasting," and "During the April 7th by-elections, it incited rumors about saengtaetang (fresh fish stew) and Ferragamo, effectively acting as the ruling party's election campaigners."

He continued, "What about selecting 'Song to the Moon' as the last song in the Open Concert music program aired on President Moon Jae-in's birthday? No matter how much they want to sing 'Moonbieocheonga' (a song praising Moon), should a public broadcaster go this far?" He added, "We, the People Power Party, will block any increase in the license fee without the consent of the people to the very end."

Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 13th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 30th of last month, KBS held a regular board meeting and passed a proposal to raise the license fee from 2,500 won to 3,800 won per month, which was submitted to the Korea Communications Commission (KCC). The KCC must submit its opinion to the National Assembly within 60 days. Afterward, the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee will review it, and if passed in the plenary session, it will be finalized after a vote in the full assembly.

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