[2024 National Audit] Was KBS's Disciplinary Action on the 'Kimigayo Controversy' Appropriate? Kim Taegyu Says "We Must Respect the Broadcast Communications Commission"

"The Korea Communications Standards Commission is a private independent organization... The content must be accepted"

Kim Tae-gyu, Acting Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (center), is attending the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission held on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Acting Chairman Kim Tae-gyu of the Korea Communications Commission stated in response to a question about the appropriateness of the Korea Communications Standards Commission's (KCSC) sanction against KBS, which sparked controversy over the "Kimigayo" issue, that "Since the KCSC is a private independent organization, the Korea Communications Commission, as a government agency, must fully respect and accept the KCSC's decisions."

On the 14th, Acting Chairman Kim appeared at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of KBS and the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation. When asked about the KCSC's administrative guidance, rather than legal sanctions, against KBS for broadcasting Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly," which featured characters wearing kimonos and the "Kimigayo" on Liberation Day, he gave this response.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Woo-young criticized the KCSC for issuing a weak sanction and pointed out that the Korea Communications Commission had not issued a stance on the matter. Acting Chairman Kim replied, "Basically, Park Min, the president of KBS, acknowledged that what happened at the time was inappropriate and apologized, and I also empathize with that."

However, Acting Chairman Kim emphasized, "The reason for establishing the KCSC as a private independent organization was to prevent government agencies from intervening and interfering in broadcasting reviews. If the Korea Communications Commission were to make direct judgments on any outcomes, it would result in undermining the status of the KCSC."

Meanwhile, during the response, Acting Chairman Kim and lawmaker Kim had some friction, with raised voices and overlapping speech occurring.

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