Democratic Party Proposes Broadcasting Act to End Public Broadcasters' Board Terms Immediately Upon Enforcement

The Democratic Party of Korea has proposed the Broadcasting Three Acts (amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act) in the 22nd National Assembly, which would immediately terminate the terms of the current boards of directors of public broadcasters upon enforcement.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, along with other lawmakers, shout slogans urging the immediate enactment of the Labor Union Act and the three Broadcasting Acts at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 3rd, Representative Lee Hun-ki of the Democratic Party submitted partial amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act as the first bill. A total of 73 lawmakers co-sponsored the bill.

The Broadcasting Three Acts proposed by Representative Lee maintain the core provisions of the previous laws that were vetoed by President Yoon Suk-yeol and discarded in the 21st National Assembly. The existing Broadcasting Three Acts include provisions to increase the number of directors on the boards of public broadcasters: for KBS from the current 11 members, and for MBC and SBS from 9 members each, up to 21 members. Additionally, the bill expands the authority to recommend directors externally, with 5 members recommended by the National Assembly, 6 by broadcasting and media-related academic societies, 4 by the viewers' committee, and 2 each by the Broadcast Journalists Association, the Korea PD Association, and the Korea Broadcasting Technicians Association.

However, the bill includes a supplementary provision that immediately terminates the terms of the current public broadcaster boards upon enforcement of the law and appoints new boards according to the amended law. Even if the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, the major shareholder of KBS and MBC, forms a new board in August, the board will have to be reorganized again if the Broadcasting Three Acts pass. The enforcement date of the law has been moved forward from "the day six months after the existing promulgation" to "the day of promulgation." According to Representative Lee’s office, to apply the purpose of the law’s enforcement, it is necessary to advance the enforcement date and appoint new public broadcaster boards.

Representative Lee also added a provision to the Broadcasting Three Acts that mandates compliance with the "Broadcast Programming Charter," which guarantees freedom and independence in broadcast programming. The current law mandates the establishment and publication of the Broadcast Programming Charter but does not require compliance. Representative Lee stated, "The media has become subservient to power, acting as the regime’s mouthpiece, and critical journalists are being oppressed," adding, "I have proposed the Broadcasting Three Acts to put an end to such tragedies."

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