Court Cancels Fine Against MBC PD Notebook... "Broadcasting Commission's Two-Person Decision Illegal"

The court ruled that the 15 million won fine imposed by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) on MBC's PD Notebook for citing the so-called 'Kim Man-bae and Shin Hak-rim false interview' by Newstapa was unlawful.

Seoul Administrative Court.

On the 17th, the Seoul Administrative Court Administrative Division 7 (Chief Judge Lee Joo-young) ruled in favor of MBC in the lawsuit filed against the KCC seeking cancellation of the sanction order.

The court stated, "The sanction imposed by the KCC, which was composed of only two commissioners and decided solely by their votes, is unlawful due to procedural defects as it did not meet the quorum requirement."

Furthermore, the court said, "For the principle of majority rule to be valid, logically at least three members are required. At the time of deliberation and resolution of this sanction, the defendant did not guarantee the number of members necessary for substantive discussion, and the possibility of participation by members with different interests was excluded."

Previously, in November of last year, the Korea Communications Standards Commission decided to impose fines of 45 million won and 15 million won respectively on MBC Newsdesk and PD Notebook for citing Newstapa's 'Kim Man-bae and Shin Hak-rim false interview,' and the KCC reflected this in its sanction order. MBC opposed this and filed an administrative lawsuit and requested a suspension of execution.

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